e-Newsletter – Second Quarter 2025

Recognizing and Preventing Discrimination and Harassment In-Person Training Coming in June

The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights’ (OCWR) education and outreach team will conduct an in-person training session, Recognizing and Preventing Discrimination and Harassment, on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 at 10 a.m. The session will be held in the Mary Pickford Theater, which is located on the third floor of the Library of Congress’ James Madison Memorial Building.

This training session will cover

• the rights and responsibilities of staff and offices in the legislative branch covered under the Congressional Accountability Act (CAA)
• the different types of harassment and discrimination
• the legal prohibitions on such conduct in the workplace
• the OCWR administrative dispute resolution process, and
• the necessary deadlines for covered employees to file a claim

This training is open to current covered employees of the legislative branch of the federal government. Please register in advance for this program at ocwr.gov.

Contact the OCWR at OCWRtraining@ocwr.gov to receive more information on upcoming events, or to schedule training for your office.

OSH Fast Fact
Extension Ladders

Extension ladders, also known as non-self-supporting ladders, are probably one of the most used and misused pieces of access equipment. The OCWR’s latest Fast Fact provides guidance and information on using extension ladders safely in the workplace.

For more information about occupational safety and health (OSH) in the legislative branch, please e-mail the OCWR at OSH@ocwr.gov or call the OCWR office at (202) 724-9250.

OCWR Training Opportunities

The Congressional Accountability Act – Webinar

This webinar explains the role of the OCWR in administering and enforcing the Congressional Accountability Act, outlines the rights and responsibilities of covered legislative branch employees under the CAA (including the protections against harassment, discrimination, and reprisal), and sets forth the OCWR’s administrative dispute resolution procedures and the necessary deadlines for covered employees to file a claim with the OCWR.

Civility in the Workplace – Webinar

This webinar reviews the concept of workplace civility, examines conflict management practices, and proposes strategies to create and maintain civility in the workplace

Age Discrimination – Webinar

This webinar explores the protections and prohibitions of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and proposes strategies to prevent ageism and age discrimination in the workplace.

Recognizing and Preventing Discrimination and Harassment – In-Person

This program reviews the rights and responsibilities of covered staff and offices of the legislative branch under the CAA, outlines the OCWR administrative dispute resolution process and the necessary deadlines for covered employees to file a claim, and examines the different types of harassment and discrimination and the legal prohibitions on such conduct in the workplace.