Restoring Accountability
Accountability for violations of the FDIC’s harassment policy have been centralized with OPC to ensure that actions are commensurate with the underlying misconduct. When allegations of harassment, interpersonal misconduct, or retaliation are substantiated, OPC recommends or determines the appropriate disciplinary or non-disciplinary action and represents the FDIC in administrative or legal challenges to those actions.
OPC is tracking disciplinary and non-disciplinary actions for cases that are substantiated. Tracking and maintaining a record of these actions will help to ensure fairness and consistency. OPC is also developing a new case management system and expects to deploy the system in 2026. The new system will allow for more granular data collection and reporting, including trend information from the allegations that it receives and investigates.
OPC is using several methods to make employees aware of potential consequences for harassment, interpersonal misconduct, and retaliation for reporting those issues. OPC publishes data on its internal website with de-identified examples of actions taken. Mandatory, scenario-based, live training sessions for employees and managers help ensure that the workforce is aware of potential consequences for misconduct. The OPC Director has also attended Division/Office and Regional management meetings to brief senior level staff about accountability.
Published Accountability Data
OPC launched an intranet site to provide the FDIC workforce with insights into data about harassment, interpersonal misconduct, and retaliation. The page includes data on complaints received and information on cases, including allegation types, substantiated harassment, and accountability data. The FDIC acts when allegations are substantiated, and the agency has pursued removal actions against employees who have engaged in the most egregious misconduct.
Removed or Limited Bonus Opportunity
The Board of Directors approved a policy to reduce or not pay awards and bonuses if disciplinary action or adverse action is taken. The policy applies to all FDIC employees, including executives. The level of discipline imposed determines the impact on awards and bonuses. If an employee is suspended, demoted, or removed, the employee is not eligible to receive any award or bonus during the rating cycle in which such discipline is imposed.
Performance Standards and Reviews
Incorporated a workplace culture standard into the leadership performance management program which includes modeling and advocating for the FDIC’s core values and general principles for ethical conduct; reinforcing the expectation that employees interact with others in a respectful, professional, and collaborative manner; and promptly responding to allegations of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. Training and mechanisms for evaluating compliance with these standards will be forthcoming.
Conducting Investigations Independently
Established mechanisms to avoid conflicts of interest if allegations of harassment or misconduct are made against the Chairperson or against other senior-level corporate managers and executives through prompt, impartial, and thorough investigations conducted outside the manager/executive's chain of command.
Improved Recordkeeping
Developed a records retention plan and an interim solution to track allegations of harassment, interpersonal misconduct, and retaliation, as well as records of associated disciplinary actions for substantiated conduct. Continued to develop an enhanced case management system for monitoring harassment claims to provide the agency with better data on the scope and nature of harassment claims and improve decision making around how to best prevent and address harassment, interpersonal misconduct, and retaliation.
Next ➜
Policies, Procedures, Operational Enhancements, and Training