Conflict Prevention and Resolution Center (CPRC)

From the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2005 to 2010

The mission of CPRC is to help all USDA customers to better handle conflict – workplace conflict, conflict with farmers or ranchers or any USDA customer, and conflict with other agencies. To reach this goal, CPRC focuses on two areas: (1) developing employee skills for managing conflict effectively, and (2) using alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods to resolve disputes.

CPRC will assist ASCR in achieving:

Objective 3: Enhance the Office of the Secretary and Departmental Office employees’ knowledge of the fairness, neutrality, and confidentiality of ADR usage.

The ultimate purpose for ADR is to resolve workplace and programmatic disputes. Therefore, CPRC will work to increase the use of ADR by promoting awareness of the benefits of ADR with emphasis on its fairness, the use of a neutral third party into the dispute process, and its confidentiality.

Performance Indicator: Increased knowledge and awareness of the benefits and fairness of ADR.

Actionable Strategies:

• Conduct training for employees in the Office of the Secretary and Departmental Offices on ADR and its techniques
• Develop pre- and post-assessments of employees’ knowledge of ADR benefits and fairness
• Review ADR training curriculum and make modifications as needed
• Market ADR to all employees and managers in the Office of the Secretary and Departmental Offices through agency-wide campaign
• Develop mandatory Ag-Learn training on ADR
• Monitor, evaluate and report on USDA ADR and conflict prevention and resolution activities and trends

Performance Measure: Number of employees in the Office of the Secretary and Departmental Offices whose knowledge of ADR has been increased (through pre- and post-assessments).

Baseline: 2005 – At least 100 employees in the Office of the Secretary and Departmental Offices are aware of ADR.

Targets: 2010 – At least 950 employees will be made aware of ADR.

Incremental Targets: 2006: 200 employees; 2007: 450 employees; 2008: 700 employees; 2009: 850 employees; and 2010: 950 employees

Objective 4: Ensure USDA agencies and offices are in compliance with USDA ADR regulations and government-wide ADR laws and regulations.

For ADR to be effectively and appropriately used, USDA agencies and offices must comply with the various laws and regulations governing its use. CPRC, in its efforts to expand the use of ADR throughout the Department as a tool to achieve early resolution of workplace and programmatic disputes, will work with agency and office personnel to ensure full compliance with these laws and regulations.

Performance Indicator: USDA agencies and offices deliver ADR programs that comply with the ADR Act, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) 29 Code of Federal Register (CFR) 1614, Management Directive (MD) 110, and USDA ADR regulations.

Actionable Strategies:

• Identify the agencies or offices to be reviewed
• Develop comprehensive compliance review plan
• Schedule compliance reviews
• Conduct compliance reviews
• Provide assistance to agencies and offices following compliance reviews

Performance Measure: Percentage of USDA agencies and offices reviewed that are in full compliance with the ADR Act, EEOC’s 29 CFR 1614; MD-110, and USDA ADR regulations.

Baseline: 2006 – To be determined

Targets: 2010 – To be determined