§533 Anti-harassment and Anti-sexual Assault Policy

Summary

The Secretary must create a clear, department-wide plan to stop harassment and sexual assault, including sexual and gender-based harassment. The plan must tell employees and contractors how to handle reports when a non-VA person harms someone inside a VA facility, and how to handle reports when one non-VA person harms another non-VA person. It must let non-VA people report, including a confidential option, and must show who to contact and how to report for both visitors and staff. Anyone who sees harassment or assault must report it, even if the person affected does not want to. The plan must explain discipline for staff who fail to report. The VA must give required training at least once a year, including bystander intervention, send the policy and educational materials by mail or email to benefit recipients at least yearly, display clear anti-harassment messages in facilities, and post banners on VA benefit and health websites explaining how to report. The VA must name at least one contact person (in addition to law enforcement) at each facility, including Vet Centers, one in each Veterans Integrated Service Network, one in each regional benefits office, one at each National Cemetery location, and one at Central Office to track reports by facility. Each facility and each Network director must be responsible for stopping harassment. If a facility has five or more incidents of sexual harassment or assault in one fiscal year, it must use a remediation plan and take appropriate personnel actions. Medical intake must include a survey asking if a veteran feels safe at the facility and whether they want follow-up contact. A working group with veterans service organizations, State/local/Tribal veterans agencies, and others must make a local action plan, standard print and online materials, and bystander training. The Secretary must send an annual report to the congressional veterans committees with program results, research findings, incident data, actions taken, training assessment, and needed resources. “Non-Department individual” means anyone at a VA facility who is not an employee or contractor. “Sexual harassment” means unwanted sexual words or actions that are threatening.