The use of alternative dispute resolution among agencies before complaints have been filed has remained steady at about 45 percent in employee matters, with neutrals from private organizations typically providing the mediation, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has said in a new report.
The report on ADR in the federal sector EEO process for fiscal 2006 says ADR efforts resulted in 5,808 instances of counseling, with settlements of $2,352 on average, totaling $980,798.
ADR participation during the formal complaint state increased from 2.6 percent in fiscal 2005 to 5.5 percent in fiscal 2006 and mediation was the primary ADR technique with in-house neutrals mediating in most cases, according to the EEOC.
It said the ADR resolution rate via formal complaints increased slightly from 68.2 percent in fiscal 2005 to 69.5 percent in fiscal 2006, and that as a result of the ADR process in fiscal 2006, complainants in 313 complaints received $11,358 on average, with a total of $3,554,975.
"We are pleased to report on the successful implementation of ADR programs government-wide," said EEOC chair Naomi C. Earp in a statement.
"ADR techniques such as voluntary mediation avoid the cost, delay, and unpredictability of the traditional adjudicatory process, while yielding thousands of amicable resolutions to workplace disputes," she added.
The report is available at EEOC’s website.
