FEMA Must Take Additional Steps to Better Address Employee Allegations of Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct

 

News from the Department of Homeland Security OIG
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The Latest DHS OIG report is available on our website.   Office of Public Affairs E: dhs-oig.officepublicaffairs@oig.dhs.gov                         OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL l DHS WWW.OIG.DHS.GOV  l TWITTER: @DHSOIG                   FEMA Must Take Additional Steps to Better Address Employee Allegations of Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) did not always appropriately report and investigate employee allegations of sexual harassment and workplace sexual misconduct. For FYs 2012 to 2018, we identified 305 allegations from FEMA employees potentially related to sexual harassment and sexual misconduct such as sexual assault, unwelcome sexual advances, and inappropriate sexual comments. However, we were unable to determine whether FEMA properly handled 153 of these allegations, because it could not provide complete investigative and disciplinary files. For allegations that had complete files available, at times we were unable to determine whether FEMA conducted an investigation. Finally, we found FEMA did not document whether it reviewed some sexual harassment-related Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints to determine whether potential employee misconduct occurred. We attributed the inconsistent investigations and incomplete files to inadequate policies, processes, and training. One-third (255 of 765) of the employees who responded to our questionnaire indicated they had experienced sexual harassment or sexual misconduct, but they did not report it because they did not believe the allegations would be investigated. Unaddressed sexual harassment and sexual misconduct in the workplace can have negative effects on employees, including decreased performance, low morale, and increased turnover. Read Report No. OIG-21-71     DHS OIG Reports by Category Fiscal Year    2021 DHS Agency     CBP    ICE    FEMA    Management    TSA    USCG    USCIS    USSS  OTHERS    Semiannual Report (SAR)

International Day of the Elderly. promote and guarantee the rights of the elderly

 

All GNDR Members — Ignacio Lapaz Núñez (Customer) International Convention to promote and guarantee the rights of the elderly in all their diversity   With the aim of having an internationally binding legal instrument that guarantees and protects the rights and dignity of the elderly, and coinciding with the celebration of the International Day of the Elderly, the State Table for the rights of the elderly demands, once again, the creation of an International Convention on the rights of the elderly.   www.geriatricarea.com   https://www.geriatricarea.com/2021/10/02/convencion-internacional-para-promover-y-garantizar-los-derechos-de-las-personas-mayores-en-toda-su-diversidad/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=la-contaminacion-agrava-y-favorece-la-expansion-del-covid-19-geriatricareanews_122     View/Comment

CISA Programs to Help Small Business Cybersecurity

 October 14 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EST
IMA Webinar Broadcast: A Look at CISA Programs to Help Small Business Cybersecurity
Contact: stuart.cohen@igicyberlabs.com
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has created services and programs for small and medium business leaders that are designed to help organizations that have little to no IT staff. As a follow up to our session with Bradford Willke, Senior Advisor to the Director at CISA, Jen Easterly, Steve Mancini will join us to answer questions from the attendees on how executives of these companies can use the no-cost offerings in the CISA Essentials Program to help them with the cyber challenges they face.
Click to register.

18th Cybersecurity Awareness Month. October 2021

Join us as we recognize the 18^th Cybersecurity Awareness Month.  All through the month CISA and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCSA) are asking you to “Do Your Part. Be Cyber Smart.” Cybersecurity is important for all Americans, and CISA and NCSA are sharing information and resources to help every one of us recognize and reduce the risk of cybersecurity threats.

Each week in October we will highlight a different aspect of what it takes to “Do Your Part. Be Cyber Smart.”

• Week 1 (October 4-10): Be Cyber Smart:
  Take simple actions to keep our digital lives secure.
• Week 2 (October 11-17): Phight the Phish!:
  Learn how to spot phishing attempts to prevent ransomware and other malware attacks.
• Week 3 (October 18-24): Explore. Experience. Share.:
  During week three of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we will join the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) to celebrate Cybersecurity Career Awareness Week.
• Week 4 (October 25-31): Cybersecurity First:
  Explore how cybersecurity and staying safe online is increasingly important as our world continues to operate virtually for so much of work and play.

What About in Your Community? In-person Emergency Operations Center Skills Development training courses at locations throughout LA County. Sept 2021-Feb 2022

 

Los Angeles County Cadre is providing in-person Emergency Operations Center Skills Development training courses at locations throughout LA County. Here is a link for classes from September 2021 through February 2022: https://www.lacountycadre.com/registration

NIH NOSI to Support Studies on COVID-19's Impact on Underserved and Vulnerable Populations. First Submission October 5, 2021

An easy data collection. 
    -youth violence
    -domestic violence
    -alcohol and drug usage
    -sex offences in homes against children, women, and the elderly
    -Suicide and mental health increase and lack of treatment

 
Just to name a few.
 
Action items and solutions for underserved and vulnerable populations will be the most challenging to implement.
 
BEMA International

 

NIH NOSI to Support Studies on COVID-19's Impact on Underserved and Vulnerable Populations ORWH has announced its participation in Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Social, Behavioral, and Economic Impact of COVID-19 in Underserved and Vulnerable Populations (NOT-MH-21-330). The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that prevention and mitigation strategies for the pandemic are uneven—for a range of reasons, including a lack of trust in health systems, economic circumstances, and challenges in sustaining long-term adherence, especially for underserved and vulnerable populations. By increasing our understanding of the multifaceted effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and public health interventions that mitigate risk and promote resilience in high-risk populations, we can improve the long-term response to the pandemic and prepare more effectively for future public health emergencies. To strengthen the understanding and response to social, behavioral, and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, NIH is encouraging the submission of applications that will: Address the roles and effects of interventions, particularly those under the umbrella of digital health, as well as community-engaged and multilevel interventions in health care settings to address access, reach, delivery, engagement, effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability of services that are utilized during and following the pandemic Encourage the leveraging of existing large-scale data sources with broad population coverage to improve prediction of various mitigation efforts (including vaccinations, masking, and physical distancing) on transmission reduction and on social and economic effects and assess the downstream health and health care access effects, with an emphasis on underserved and vulnerable populations The first submission date is October 5, 2021, and subsequent receipt dates will extend through September 8, 2024.  Learn More

FEMA Announces Open Application Period for Fiscal Year 2021 Hazard Mitigation Grants

 

• FEMA Announces Open Application Period for Fiscal Year 2021 Hazard Mitigation Grants
• Updates: Fiscal Year 2020 Selections for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities and Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Programs
• Join FEMA for the HMA’s October 13 Webinar: Federal Agency Roundtable and Partnerships
• FEMA Announces Partial Implementation of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard for All Hazard Mitigation Assistance Programs
• FEMA Issues Final Rule for Mitigation Programs
• FEMA Launches National Risk Index Update
• Mark your calendars! The annual ShakeOut is Oct. 21