
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, May 27, 1993                   TAG: 9305270192
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

U.S. WORKERS: HARASSMENT CLAIMS IGNORED

Federal employees poured out intensely personal stories of sexual harassment and racial discrimination Wednesday and pleaded with senators to prevent retaliation against victims who complain.

Diana Miller of Pittsburgh said tearfully that she had been grabbed in a hotel room by her supervisor with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers while on a business trip.

"This terrible incident has taken eight months out of my career and placed a stigma that will follow me through my professional and personal life," she told the Senate Government Affairs Committee.

Four of the witnesses were women, including three who described unwanted physical contact from supervisors. The fifth witness was a black man who complained of racial bias at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

All said the government's formal complaint process had proved useless.

Sen. John Glenn, D-Ohio, chairman of the committee, held the hearing on his legislation to end the practice of agencies judging complaints of their employees. Complaints, under his bill, would be sent to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

by CNB