TS Radio Network: The USDA Hour 11/29

Whistleblower's is presented in coordination with Marcel Reid and the annual Whistleblower's Summit each July in Washington, D.C.

Full House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held yet another hearing on November 15, 2018 to address the rampant and decades long history of sexual misconduct including documented cases of molestation, rape, gender discrimination and retaliation and intimidation for reporting these abuses.  Join us this evening as Lesa Donnelly, Denice Rice and other Forestry Service employees discuss the committee hearing and what, if any, changes will occur as a result of the hearing. 

BACKGROUND:

• On December 1, 2016, the Committee held a hearing to examine reported misconduct, harassment, and gender discrimination at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
• Since the hearing, USFS launched a number of initiatives to improve its work environment. However, reports of misconduct, sexual harassment, and retaliation against those who speak out against this behavior continue.
• The USDA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has reviewed USFS’s work environment and policies on misconduct. On March 18, 2018, the OIG issued an interim audit report. Currently, they are preparing a full audit report to determine whether USFS’s actions to address complaints were implemented in accordance with USFS’s agreement with the Office of the General Counsel and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.