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DOJ Finally Files Discrimination Complaint Against US Forest Service
by Monica Davis
It appears that the feds are finally taking action against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) because of USDA’s long time hostile workplace. Jolie Lee’s interview with Elaine Vercruysse on Federal News Radio listed a litany of USDA sins, but noted that the agency is now using training as a tool to fight discrimination.
Vercruysse told the interviewer: “We want to see more women get the opportunities they deserve, getting promotions … getting jobs and getting paid for their skills and their experience level commensurate to the men.” Vercruysse is a logging systems planner with the Plumas National Forest.
Vercruysse filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of all women in Region 5, which is in California. In all, Region 5 has about 5,000 employees, of which 1,500 (or about 30 percent) are women, according to Vercruysse. READMOREHERE
USDA has been called The Last Plantation. It was the last federal agency to desegregate its workforce. And it has been the target of the longrunning Black Farmers Lawsuit which was filed in 1999 and finally settled for billions. That historic lawsuit did not end the matter. Minority, disadvantaged and women farmers continue to battle with USDA over unfair treatment in loan application and servicing, while minority employeees of USDA and its various agencies continue to file complaints and class action lawsuits claiming discrimination, harassment, terroristic threatening and abuse..
The problem boils down to equal treatment, obeying the law and Constitution, which critics say the USDA and its various components, including the Forest Service and Farm Service Agency have not done. Despite paying billions of dollars in lawsuits–the Black Farmers/Native American/Women Farmers lawsuits, it’s still business as usual at the “Last Plantation” AKA, the USDA.
Nothing changes but the names on the lawsuits. Lisa Dabney, a Comanche firefighter who alleges she was harassed, sexually intimidated on the job and illegally fired continues her legal battle, as do many others. The refusal of long-time USDA employees and supervisors to follow the law and stop harassing, intimidating, beating and sexually molesting fellow employees continues. READMOREHERE
