National
Aeronautics and Space Administration
Goddard
Space Flight Center
SUBJECT: Settlement of Class Action
Complaint
Summary
On May 2, 2002, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) gave initial approval to a settlement reached between Goddard and the Class Agent in a class action complaint filed on behalf of 120 African American scientists and engineers (S&E’s) at the GS-13 and 14 levels. Class members will have the opportunity to submit comments on the terms of the settlement at a July 8, 2002 Fairness Hearing before the Agreement receives final approval from the EEOC. The settlement provides a $3.75 million fund that includes $2.3 million for distribution to Class members, $929K in attorney’s fees, and $500K in class service awards to be allocated among the class agents. It also provides for the Director of AETD to oversee a promotion review for all Class members and for non-Class member S&E’s at the GS 13 and14 levels who have 8 years or more time-in-grade. Goddard has committed to promote those employees whose duties and performance warrant it. All of our employees will benefit from our agreement to implement an independent review of some our performance management and EEO procedures.
The
complaint alleged that NASA Goddard discriminated against African American
S&E’s in terms of senior level promotions to GS-14 and GS-15
levels. After the EEOC
provisionally certified the class,
the parties entered into voluntary mediation in an effort to address the
concerns raised in the complaint without further delay and expenditure of
resources.
The text
of the Settlement Agreement is
available in its entirety, together with some Frequently Asked Questions, at http://eeo.gsfc.nasa.gov/classaction.html.
A
schedule of Brown Bag Discussions with the Director of AETD and representatives
from the Chief Counsel’s Office, the Office of Human Resources and the
Equal Opportunity Programs Office is on the reverse side of this announcement.
Brown Bag Discussions
Class Action Settlement
Agreement and Its Impact
|
Date |
Time |
Where |
|
Thursday, May 9 |
11:30-1:00 |
Building 2 Room 8 |
|
Thursday, May 16 |
11:30-1:00 |
Building 2 Room 8 |
|
Friday, May 17 |
11:30-1:00 |
E-2 Classroom (WFF) |
|
Thursday, May 23 |
11:30-1:00 |
Building 2 Room 8 |
If you have further questions please feel free to contact
either me at 301-286-7348 or any of the following members of the implementation
team:
|
Points
of Contact |
o
Lynne
Slater, Associate Chief, Equal Opportunity Programs 301-286-7770 (Voice/TDD) o
Dorothy
Kerr, Agency Representative, Office of Chief Counsel 301-286-5603 o
Dan
Krieger, Special Assistant to the Director of Applied Engineering and
Technology 301-286-7913 o
Tonya
West, Special Assistant to the Director of Human Resources 301-286-8545 |
|
|
|
Dillard Menchan
Chief, Equal Opportunity Programs Office