President George W. Bush signed the No FEAR Act into law on May 15, 2002, to make sure federal agencies are accountable for following anti-discrimination and whistleblower laws.
The goals of the No FEAR Act are to encourage employees who have faced discrimination or retaliation to report it and to make federal agencies more transparent about employees' rights and how the agencies handle discrimination and retaliation.
Under the No FEAR Act, the U.S. Coast Guard and all federal agencies are required to:
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Provide annual updates about employees' rights and how they can get help if they face discrimination.
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Offer biannual training for their employees on their rights and protections against discrimination and retaliation.
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Send yearly reports to Congress and other agencies about their efforts to handle discrimination and retaliation.
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Publicly share data on the number of discrimination complaints they receive.
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Pay from a special fund called the Judgment Fund, so it doesn't impact their regular budget, if an agency loses a discrimination or retaliation case.
The Service actively supports these laws by regularly updating No FEAR Act data and making it available in various formats.
All Coast Guard civilian and military members also receive No FEAR Act training every two years, now accessible online via the Pixel dashboard and the Online World of Learning (OWL) application:
Additionally, the Coast Guard requires its workforce to participate in Civil Rights Awareness training every three years to learn about anti-retaliation, anti-discrimination, and the complaint process, all delivered by Civil Rights Directorate’s Civil Rights Service Providers.
To further strengthen these protections, the No FEAR Act was amended by the Elijah E. Cummings Federal Antidiscrimination Act in 2020. Named after the late Congressman Elijah Cummings, a dedicated civil rights advocate and long-serving Maryland Representative, this amendment requires federal agencies to publicly post final decisions of any discrimination cases on their websites. Any findings of discrimination against the Coast Guard can be found online.
In a show of support for anti-retaliation, anti-discrimination, and whistleblower protections, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recognized National Whistleblower Appreciation Day on 30 July, 2024. This day supports the No FEAR Act's mission to protect those who expose wrongdoing from retaliation and to promote a culture of transparency and accountability in federal workplaces. DHS’s Office of the Inspector General maintains a hotline for reporting wrongdoing and offers information about how to make protected disclosures and report whistleblower retaliation. There is also a DHS Whistleblower Protection Coordinator available to answer questions about making disclosures and understanding employee rights and protections against retaliation.
The No FEAR Act and the Elijah Cummings amendment are important steps toward making federal workplaces fairer and more transparent. By understanding and supporting these laws, the Coast Guard can contribute to creating a safer, more equitable environment for the total workforce.