Summary: This testimony discusses the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) civil rights program and problems that have delayed its processing of discrimination complaints. Long-standing problems include continuing management turnover and reorganizations in USDA's Office of Civil Rights (OCR); inadequate staff and managerial expertise; a lack of clear, up-to-date guidance and procedures; and poor working relationships and communication within OCR and between OCR and other USDA entities. Also, USDA has not consistently used alternative dispute resolution techniques to address workplace and other disputes before they become formal employment complaints. In reviewing the draft report on which this testimony was based, USDA agreed with all of GAO's recommendations. At the time of this hearing, however, USDA had yet to fully implement any of those recommendations. USDA officials said that the agency has drafted a long-term improvement plan to address problems in the program, which they expect to begin implementing in October 2000.
