The President is committed to ensuring equal employment opportunity for all Executive Office of the President (EOP) employees. Equally as important, the President in committed to a government that is free of discrimination and which reflects the diversity of this nation.

This statement reaffirms the policy of the EOP prohibiting unlawful discrimination and sexual harassment. The EOP does not condone nor tolerate discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, age (over 40), disability or sexual orientation, in any of its personnel policies, practices, and operations.

All EOP agency heads and employees have a responsibility to uphold this policy. Each employee must be in personally accountable for his or her performance in ensuring and promoting equal opportunity principles and in recognizing diversity as a source of strength for the EOP. Moreover, managers and employees must work together to ensure a workplace free of discrimination and sexual harassment.

In general terms, unlawful discrimination involves improperly making employment decisions or carrying out actions based on the factors listed above. Discrimination on the basis of sex includes sexual harassment. Sexual harassment as defined by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and for the purposes of the EOP, is: unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: (1)submission is made explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's employment; (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual; or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

While every EOP employee may raise claims of discrimination and/or sexual harassment, employees' rights, responsibilities, appeals, and remedies may vary. If you believe that you have been discriminated against or sexually harassed, you may pursue an equal employment opportunity claim. You should be aware that timeframes for raising claims vary for EOP employees from 45 to 180 calendar days from the alleged discriminatory event.