GOLDEN, CO—Ninety employees attended DOE Equal Employment Opportunity counselor training in Phoenix, Ariz., Nov. 17-20. Hosted by Western Area Power Administration, the four-day training introduced the evolution of EEO and theories of discrimination, shared the role of the EEO counselor in the federal sector, and lead counselors through the complaint process.

Participants, from the untrained to the experienced, gained skills for future counseling. Stan Branch, a long-time counselor from Richland, Wash. stated, "[The conference] updated me on the latest laws and developments in EEO. It was also well put together for those who needed to gain some understanding of basic counseling activities."

EEO managers Santos Ortega from Richland, Wash., Richard Newton from Rocky Flats, and Jim Dorn from Oakland, Calif. were also in attendance. Answering questions from counselors and sharing their perspective on the EEO complaint process, the three managers emphasized the importance of effective counseling. As Dorn stated,"It makes an organization more productive to have a good process for dealing with [EEO] issues. The work [of EEO counselors] is really needed.

On the final day of training, counselors witnessed a mock mediation session as an example of one form of Alternative Dispute Resolution. Professional mediators Karen Nakandakare, Bonnie Thomas, and Maureen O'Reilly worked with Western's Desert Southwest Administrative Officer Frances Telles to show the mediation process.

In the first scene, Telles played an employee concerned with her manager's hiring process. She felt she was passed over for a position because of her age. Thomas, playing the EEO counselor, offered mediation as a solution.

During the second scene Thomas went to Telles' manager, played by Nakandakare, to share the complaint and suggest mediation. Nakandakare accepted and planned to meet with her employee in a mediation session.

Through the rest of the performance, O'Reilly and Thomas helped the employee and manager discuss and resolve their dispute. The participants showed that such sessions could be intense, yet effective in resolving differences. EEO counselor Judy Lewis from Phoenix felt the mediation session was a good way to close the conference. "Alternate Dispute Resolution will help all EEO counselors in the future," she stated. "The mediation process benefits working relationships because there's more resolution between parties."

EEO managers Santos Ortega, Ricky Newton and Jim Dorn field questions from counselors.
 

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Western's Desert Southwest Administrative Officer for Management Services Frances Telles performs a mock counseling session with professional mediators Maueen O'Reilly, Karen Nakandakare and Bonnie Thomas.

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