Well, I am not alone.  The Department of the Army, Aberdeen Proving
Ground has a lot of employers that are notorious for discrimination.  I
filed several complaints.  Witnesses refused to speak out for me, but I
didn't give up.  However, I did have some wonderful people willing to
give me great advice and I would like to pass it to you.

First, don't ever file an EEO complaint directly with the business you
work for.  Work site EEO's are biased.  (I swear these people are paid
off!)

Second, go to EVERY outside source that you can and file your complaint. 
Talk to your congress people, your news people, lawyers, network
friends.  The idea here is power leverage.  You want to show your
employer you mean business.  You can ruin them too!

Third, file with a lawyer.  EEO is bull.  They spend our money and then
send a letter saying they don't have time to review our case because
they are so backed up.  Well, hey, if they are so backed up there must
be some serious discrimination!

Fourth, don't quit your job!  No matter how much your employer threatens
you, harasses you or whatever, don't quit.  An inside source from EEO
told me to take a leave without pay and let them fire me.  This way, if
I prove they discriminated against me, I would get back pay.  If I can't
prove they discriminated against me, and the company is willing to
negotiate, I can still get back pay.  If I quit, no matter what the
circumstances, the chance of getting back pay lessens.

Next, this inside source told me that EEO counselors bull crap victims
and tell them they can't do much to help except maybe get the person a
step increase.  Well, this inside source said, WRONG!  They can give you
front pay, back pay, benefits, step increases, promotions, new jobs,
whatever.  So now I know not to trust government EEO specialists.

To conclude my story, I got a step increase and back pay for a couple of
months until the time I quit (because I was still being harassed at
home!)  To this day, there are deaf friends working there and they
suffer from the same ordeal.

I sympathize with anyone in this type of situation.  I, too, suffer from
mental and emotional problems brought on by the discrimination. 
Unfortunately, I am not able to get social security. I have been out of
work for 6 years, suffered depression from the time I left work, to
today, and still have trouble getting a job.  Currently, I am a grad
student, hoping that the extra education will give me more employment
leverage, but, truly, I doubt it.  Discrimination doesn't go away.

Robin Krout
rakrout@hotmail.com.

*Please send me your government related discrimination gripes 
 rakrout@hotmail.com.