DOE’s EEO had issued a disability survey to DOE employees, which is in clear violation of federal law. President Matt Rector sent Interim Superintendent Taling Taitano a letter stating the union’s concern with this issue. Federal law states, “An employer may ask employees to voluntarily self-identify as individuals with disabilities when the employer is:
• Undertaking affirmative action because of a federal, state, or local law (including a veterans’ preference law) that requires affirmative action for individuals with disabilities (i.e., the law requires some action to be taken on behalf of such individuals); or,
• Voluntarily using the information to benefit individuals with disabilities.”
The survey that was distributed does not state that the information will be solely used for affirmative action efforts nor does it state this is on a voluntary basis. “This is of grave concern to us, our members and their families…we expect immediate action to be taken to protect every employee’s personal medical information and to rectify this situation as soon as humanly possible,” stated President Rector in the letter. Click here to read letter.