ARTICLE 18
Equal Employment Opportunity
SECTION 1. Employees shall receive fair and equitable treatment in all aspects of personnel management without regard to political affiliation, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or disabling condition, and with proper regard for their privacy and constitutional rights.
SECTION 2. A. An employee who believes that he or she may be the victim of prohibited discrimination may file either a formal EEO complaint with the agency, or a grievance under Article 9, but not both. The employee shall not be deemed to have selected the EEO complaint alternative merely because he or she has discussed the matter with an EEO counselor, but shall be deemed to have selected the EEO complaint alternative at the time he or she files a formal discrimination complaint. Any employee who has filed an equal employment opportunity complaint or a grievance that alleges discrimination shall be free from coercion, interference, or reprisal.
B. Any meeting requested by or initiated by the NOAA Office of Civil Rights is not considered a formal discussion for purposes of Article 6, Section 2 , of this Agreement. Management is not obligated to notify the Union. However, the employee may elect to be accompanied by a representative, who may be a Union representative.
SECTION 3. The names, addresses, and phone numbers of all EEO counselors who are authorized to accept informal EEO complaints from employees will be conspicuously posted in each office where employees are stationed. Such a list will be kept current.
SECTION 4. Nothing in this article expands or contracts any employee's rights under the Equal Opportunity Act of 1972.
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