National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Policy Statement on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility 

for NASA’s Workforce and Workplaces 

NASA is fully committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) within our 

workforce and throughout our workplaces. NASA is dedicated to promoting an environment 

where employees receive fair and just treatment, fostering a respectful and inclusive culture for 

all, and ensuring employees can fully and independently access facilities, information and 

communication technology, programs, and services. 

Respect for humanity is central to NASA’s vision, mission, and core values. Discrimination, 

harassment, retaliation, and barriers to inclusion and accessibility compromise our workforce and 

our operations – and have no place at NASA. The full participation of a wide variety of people, 

organizations, capabilities, and assets enables us to accomplish our missions. Ensuring that all 

employees feel respected, safe, and empowered to contribute is how we recruit and engage the 

best talent in the world and achieve greater innovation and deeper discoveries.

I. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Defined

We define diversity as “the entire universe of differences and similarities.” This definition 

specifically encompasses the full variety of communities, identities, races, ethnicities, 

backgrounds, abilities, cultures, and beliefs of all people. It includes individuals from 

underserved communities, meaning populations and geographic communities that share a 

particular characteristic and have been denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of 

economic, social, and civic life.   

We define equity as “the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all 

individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied 

such treatment.” NASA is committed to advancing societal equity and removing barriers for the 

underserved and underrepresented within the Agency and throughout the world. 

We define inclusion as “the full participation, belonging, and contribution of organizations and 

individuals.” This definition of inclusion specifically involves the recognition, appreciation, and 

use of the talents and skills of employees of all backgrounds to identify and incorporate distinct 

viewpoints and gaps that will enable mission success. 

We define accessibility as “the design, construction, development, and maintenance of facilities, 

information and communication technology, programs, and services so that all people, including 

National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration 

Office of the Administrator 

Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters 

Washington, DC 20546-0001

NPS 3713.101

NPD 3713.8B

NPR 3713.1C
2 

people with disabilities, can fully and independently use them.” Our definition specifically 

includes the provision of reasonable accommodations, equal employment opportunity, and 

inclusive participation for people with disabilities. By ensuring all individuals have accessibility 

to and at NASA, we best serve the public and ensure everyone has equitable opportunities to 

contribute to our mission success. 

II. Anti-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity Process 

NASA strictly prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender 

identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, status as a parent, marital status, age, disability (physical 

or mental), family medical history or genetic information, political affiliation, military service, or 

any other factor that is not based on merit. These protections extend to all employment policies, 

practices, and actions, including, but not limited to: recruitment and hiring, job assignments, 

performance management, rewards, promotions, training and development, reassignments, 

discipline, and removals. 

NASA is committed to ensuring an environment where employees are fully empowered to raise 

concerns about employment discrimination and to participate in the Agency’s Equal 

Employment Opportunity (EEO) process. NASA strictly prohibits retaliation against employees 

for raising allegations of employment discrimination, opposing employment discrimination, or 

participating in the EEO complaint process. NASA also strictly prohibits interference with the 

EEO process or behavior that would reasonably have the effect of interfering with another 

individual’s participation in the EEO process. 

Any employee or applicant for employment who believes they have been subjected to 

employment discrimination, harassment, or retaliation may contact NASA’s Office of Diversity 

and Equal Opportunity (ODEO). Contact must occur within 45 days of the alleged harm to 

ensure timeliness through the Agency’s EEO complaints process. 

Employees are also encouraged to use NASA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process to 

resolve EEO complaints in a prompt and effective manner. All employees are encouraged to 

visit the EEO complaints process webpage, located on the NASA ODEO webpage, to learn more 

about the EEO complaints and ADR processes. 

III. Anti-Harassment Program 

NASA strictly prohibits harassment and is fully committed to providing a safe and congenial 

work environment. We define harassment as “any conduct that is unwelcome, verbal or 

physical, regardless of whether it is based on an individual’s race, color, sex (sexual orientation, 

pregnancy, and gender identity), national origin, religion, age, disability, status as a parent, 

genetic information, or retaliation, when (a) the behavior can reasonably be considered to 

adversely affect the work environment, or (b) an employment decision affecting the employee is 

based upon the employee’s acceptance or rejection of such conduct.” Examples of such conduct 

include, but are not limited to: offensive jokes, slurs, name calling, verbal and physical threats, 

intimidation, retaliation, and insults. 
3 

NASA’s Anti-Harassment Program is committed to implementing proactive measures to 

reasonably prevent harassment from occurring, thorough and impartial fact-finding within ten 

calendar days of receiving a harassment allegation, issuing decisions within 60 days of receipt, 

and applying appropriate corrective action in situations involving harassment. Confidentiality of 

individuals raising harassment allegations is protected to the fullest extent possible. 

NASA employees have multiple avenues to report alleged harassment, including any NASA 

supervisor, an Anti-Harassment Coordinator at Headquarters, or one of the NASA Centers 

(contact information available on the Center Anti-Harassment Coordinators listing). NASA 

encourages all employees to report and help prevent workplace harassment, and strictly prohibits 

retaliation for opposing harassment, raising allegations of harassment, or participating in a 

process to gather information and respond to allegations of harassment. 

IV. Reasonable Accommodation

All NASA employees are encouraged to familiarize themselves with NASA’s policies, 

procedures, and resources on reasonable accommodation and accessibility to information and 

communication technology, including: NASA’s Policy Directive on Provision of Reasonable 

Accommodation for Individuals with Disabilities (NPD 3713.8B), NASA’s Reasonable 

Accommodations Procedures (NPR 3713.1C), and NASA’s webpage on Section 508 of the 

Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 

Any employee or applicant for employment who believes they have been subjected to 

discrimination, including denial of reasonable accommodation or other employment 

discrimination based upon disability, may contact NASA’s ODEO and must initiate this contact 

within 45 days of the alleged harm to timely proceed in NASA’s EEO complaints process.

V. Action

At NASA, we fully embrace DEIA as an essential element of mission success. Our differences 

create a solid foundation of varied talents, knowledge, perspectives, and experiences that help us 

reduce risk and ensure achievement, and we are united by NASA’s common purpose: to pioneer 

the future in space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research. I call upon our 

entire NASA family to commit to the principles of DEIA in all we do, to better meet our shared 

mission: exploring the unknown in air and space, innovating for the benefit of humanity, and 

inspiring the world through discovery. 

6/16/2023 

Bill Nelson Date