Veterans, reservists and national guard members filed more discrimination complaints against federal agencies last year than the year before, the Labor Department has reported.
According to Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS), veteran complaints rose from 102 in fiscal 1997 to 155 in fiscal 1998, a 50 percent increase.
Complaints ranged from protests of hiring and firing decisions to charges of employment discrimination related to guard or reserve duty to allegations that an agency refused to reinstate an employee after a period of military service. Employees can file complaints with VETS under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act.
Only 27 percent of the 144 federal employee cases VETS closed in 1998 were settled in favor of the employee.
"The majority of cases filed against federal employers ultimately prove to be without merit," said Espiridion "Al" Borrego, assistant secretary of Labor for veterans employment and training. "I believe this increase in cases is due, in part, to the intensive outreach effort VETS made last year to federal government managers and staff. As people better understand what constitutes a violation and what does not, I believe we will see an improvement in compliance."
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