Civil rights accountability for USDA employees

(a) In general The Secretary of Agriculture shall ensure that appropriate corrective action is taken with respect to any official or employee of the Department of Agriculture who has been found to have engaged in any of the actions, violations, or misconduct referred to in subsection (b) while in the course of such official’s or employee’s employment or in administering a Department of Agriculture program or service— (1) in any administrative finding by the Department of Agriculture, including any final agency decision issued by the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Civil Rights and any civil rights compliance review or misconduct investigation conducted by the Department of Agriculture; (2) in any Federal administrative or judicial proceeding; (3) in any settlement with respect to civil rights; (4) in any audit or investigation conducted by the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture; or (5) in any investigation conducted by the Office of the Special Counsel. (b) Covered actions, violations, or misconduct The actions, violations, or misconduct referred to in this subsection are discriminatory actions, retaliatory actions, harassment, civil rights violations, or related misconduct, including the following: (1) Failure to provide a receipt for service in accordance with section 2501A(e) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279–1(e)) to any current or prospective applicants of, or participants in, Department of Agriculture programs. (2) Providing an inaccurate receipt for service under such section 2501A(e) to any such current or prospective applicants or participants. (3) Failure to provide appropriate information regarding relevant programs and services at the Department of Agriculture, when requested by any such current or prospective applicants or participants. (4) Failure to timely process applications or otherwise delaying program services to any such current or prospective applicants or participants. (c) Corrective action defined In this section, the term corrective action means any action taken to respond to any of the actions, violations, or misconduct referred to in subsection (b) that— (1) would enhance civil rights at the Department of Agriculture, including any policy or programmatic changes to prevent similar misconduct from occurring in the future; and (2) may include disciplinary actions, including— (A) removal from Federal service; (B) suspension without pay; (C) any reduction in grade or pay; and (D) a letter of reprimand.