No Fear Act

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission's employees are its most important resource.

Our employees come from diverse backgrounds and work together to carry out our mission.  Equal employment opportunity at the CFTC is a continuing commitment.  To maintain neutrality in resolving disputes, the EEO office is independent of any other CFTC office and the EEO Program Director reports to the Chairman of the CFTC.

The Notification and Federal Employee Anti-discrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (No FEAR Act), Public Law 107-174, went into effect on October 1, 2003. The Act requires that federal agencies be accountable for violations of anti-discrimination and whistleblower protection laws and post quarterly on its public website certain statistical data relating to federal sector Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints filed with the agency.

No Fear Quarterly Data FY 2024 Q1 (PDF) (HTML)
No Fear Quarterly Data FY 2023 Q4 (PDF) (HTML)
No Fear Quarterly Data FY 2023 Q3 (PDF) (HTML)
No Fear Quarterly Data FY 2023 Q2 (PDF) (HTML)
No Fear Quarterly Data FY 2023 Q1 (HTML)
CFTC FY 2022 Annual No FEAR Act Report (PDF)

No FEAR Act complete text (PDF)

EEO Contact Information

Commodity Futures Trading Commission Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

Location and mailing address:

1155 21st Street, NW
Washington, DC 20581

Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 202-418-5400

Anti-Discrimination Laws Information

Personnel actions affecting any term or condition of employment may not be based on an individual's:

  • Race
  • Color
  • National origin
  • Religion
  • Sex (including pregnancy and childbirth)
  • Age (40 years or more)
  • Disability (physical or mental)
  • Participation in the EEO process
  • Opposition to employment discrimination

Hostile Work Environment Discrimination (Harassment) is Prohibited

  • Employees may not be subjected to unwelcome conduct in the course of employment because of their race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, or disability.
  • Employees may not be subjected to unwelcome conduct in the course of employment because they have participated in the EEO process or expressed their opposition to employment discrimination.

Other Personnel Practices Prohibited by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, 5 USC 2302, and Executive Order 11478

In addition to the prohibitions contained in anti-discrimination and whistleblower protection laws, merit system principles provide that no personnel action in the Federal government may be based on an individual's:

  • Marital status
  • Political affiliation
  • Sexual orientation
  • Conduct not adversely affecting job performance.

Reasonable Accommodation for Disability and for Religion

  • The CFTC provides reasonable accommodation for employees or applicants with physical or mental disabilities who request such accommodation to perform the duties of a position or to participate in the application process.
  • The CFTC provides reasonable accommodation for the religious practices and beliefs of employees and applicants.

Federal Anti-Discrimination Laws and Executive Orders

Complaints of Employment Discrimination

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has the authority to establish the procedures Federal agencies use to process complaints of employment discrimination made by applicants or employees who believe they have been discriminated against in violation of those Federal anti-discrimination laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, or disability or retaliation for participating in the EEO process or opposing employment discrimination.

 

The EEOC's regulations for the Federal administrative complaint process are published in the Code of Federal Regulations at 29 CFR 1614 .

The CFTC EEO office manages the CFTC's administrative complaint process in compliance with EEOC regulations and directives.

Time Limit: Process Must Begin Within 45 Days of Discriminatory Act

  • To preserve your rights under EEO laws, applicants for employment and employees are required to contact a CFTC EEO counselor in a timely manner.
  • Timely contact means making the contact within 45 calendar days from the day you learned of the matter believed to have constituted employment discrimination.
  • Applicants may contact the EEO office to initiate EEO counseling.

EEO Counseling

EEO counseling is required before a complaint of discrimination may be filed. To preserve your right to access the EEO complaint process, you must cooperate in good faith with the EEO counseling process. EEO counselors provide information about legal rights and responsibilities related to the administrative complaint process. Attempts to resolve disputes will be made by an EEO counselor or through the CFTC's alternative dispute resolution (ADR) program. EEO counseling may take from 30 to 90 days.

Alternative dispute resolution is an option available during the EEO counseling process. ADR is voluntary.  Mediation must be requested by the individual being counseled.

Formal Complaints of Discrimination

  • The EEO counseling process must be completed before complaints of discrimination can be filed.
  • A notice given to you at the end of EEO counseling or mediation explains the requirements for filing complaints of discrimination.
  • The EEOC regulations provide detailed information about the formal EEO complaint process at  29 CFR 1614.106-110 .