The Alliance for Federal Workplace Accountability

3238 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

Workplace The
November 15, 2011

The Alliance
Black Leadership Round Table The Honorable Walter E. Fauntroy (Rev.) Executive Director Civil Rights Defense Fund Rev. Dr. Ruby Reece Moone President Civil Rights Justice for NIH Employees Terri Williams President National Whistleblowers Center sk@whistleblowers.org Stephen M. Kohn Executive Director Network for Womens Equality (Net-WE) www.Net-WE.com Susan M. Morris President No Fear Coalition NoFearCoalition@aol.com EPARafaelMustGo@aol.com Dr. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo Chairwoman The Coalition For Change, Inc. (C4C) Tanya Ward Jordan Founder The USDA Coalition of Minority Employees Lawrence Lucas President

The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201 Dear Secretary Sebelius: The Alliance for Federal Workplace Accountability (The Alliance) is writing in support of Ms. Arthuretta Holmes-Martin. It has come to our attention that Ms. HolmesMartin, the former Deputy Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), has a pending employment discrimination law suit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) (Holmes-Martin, v. Sebelius, Civil Action No. 07-2128). The trial is scheduled for December 5, 20l1. In support of the racially motivated disparate treatment of Ms. Holmes-Martin Alliance members will attend the trial, which will be held at U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Memorandum Opinion of the U.S. District Judge Richard Urbina, dated March 17, 2010, is clear in that Ms. Holmes-Martin, an African-American, raised an issue of material fact concerning discriminatory intent while serving under Ms. Debbie Ridgely, former Director of OSDBU. In his opinion Judge Urbina states: The court is therefore constrained to conclude that based on the evidence rebutting the defendants [HHS] asserted non-discriminatory justification, the plaintiffs [HolmesMartin] prima facie case and the independent evidence of a discriminatory motive, a reasonable jury could infer that Ridgely transferred the plaintiffs Deputy Director duties to Randall [Caucasian] out of a discriminatory motive. It is disconcerting that for more than five years, HHS officials failed to resolve or settle Ms. Holmes-Martins claims as set forth in Civil Action No. 07-2128. The business community, particularly those in the small, disadvantaged and women-owned businesses, is disappointed to hear of HHSs inability to promptly resolve discrimination claims. It reportedly took over two (2) years for HHS to investigate the former OSDBU Deputy Directors claims of racism, retaliation, and a hostile work environment which is a clear violation of the regulations. The Alliance expects that as Secretary of the Health of Human Services, you will lead by example and bring a favorable resolution to Ms. Holmes-Martins case. Also, we expect that you will hold any and all HHS managers accountable for any violations of law, prohibited personnel practices, or unethical behavior in connection with the HolmesMartin v. Sebelius case. | signed | Teri L. Williams For The Alliance

The Alliance Against Civil Rights Corruption and Injustice in Federal Agencies The Fed Alliance@aol.com