Reply to Board of Veterans Appeals (Attorney Advisor)

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]In case you can’t access William’s case using the link above, here’s a direct link to decision on the EEOC website.

https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/decisions/2020_12_07/2019003149.pdf

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I can’t believe pro-union Biden is going to keep allowing this kind of mismanagement continue. Maybe his team hasn’t received the memo? I guess only numbers matter and not employees.[/quote]

I have no doubt that the new VA Secretary will do his best to improve employee relations at the agency; however, we’ve seen this story play out before. During the Obama Administration, then Secretary McDonald installed a reformer at the Board to address the rampant culture of discrimination and sexual harassment. Carol was a great leader. She worked very hard to address these problems and allowed employees to voice concerns without fear. While Carol was in charge, the career VA managers parroted Carol’s actions and words. And, the known sexual harassers at the Board laid low. But, when Carol left in January 2017 with the change in administration, the management returned to their old ways.

I fear for anyone at the Board who reports discrimination or sexual harassment to management. Ask the union about the problem managers and judges.  If history is any guide, upper management will not discipline any manager or judge who has engaged in discrimination or harassment, unless the victims are upper managers (i.e., the Forum of Hate scandal, where five judges and attorneys were fired/forced to resign after they made racial slurs about upper managers). There can be no lasting change without removing the problem career managers and judges.

Forum of Hate Scandal: https://abovethelaw.com/2020/07/forum-of-hate-emails-lead-to-suspensions-because-yeah-theyre-bad/

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It does not appear that Biden or the Secretary plan on replacing the current BVA Chair.  Numbers numbers numbers.  Apparently, who cares about bad employee morale and ruined careers when you can get numbers?
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I’m pretty sure that the Biden Administration isn’t aware of the work environment at the Board. People who haven’t worked at the Board will never understand how terrible the place. Yes, there are many terrible work environments, but the things BVA management does to destroy those who report discrimination or sexual harassment is truly next level.

For anyone experiencing discrimination or harassment at the Board, I urge you to go through the EEO Office. Do not go through the VA Harassment Prevention Office. While the Harassment Prevention Office seems to do their best to help, they have no power to stop BVA management from firing you for reporting harassment or discrimination.

Case in point, a probationary BVA attorney contacted the VA Harassment Prevention Office to complain that her judge was constantly harassing her. Following an investigation, the Anti-Harassment Coordinator asked the attorney’s Chief Veterans Law Judge to reassign the attorney to another judge. However, within one week of receiving the transfer request from the Anti-Harassment Coordinator, the attorney’s Chief VLJ fired the attorney using poor performance as a pretext - the attorney had just received a good performance rating on her annual appraisal.. Shortly thereafter, upper management promoted the Chief VLJ to the ranks of upper management. Because the attorney who was fired was probationary, she could not appeal the firing. She has been unable to find a job as attorney. BVA ended her legal career. [/quote]

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