The Office of Equal Employment Opportunity hosts speakers, exhibits and special events focusing on the diverse cultures within the Agency. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects against discrimination on the basis of age (40 and over), color, disability (mental and physical), national origin, race, religion, sex, and reprisal for participation in the EEO process. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires federal agencies to reasonably accommodate qualified employees with disabilities. Executive Order 11478 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Agency policy specifies a zero tolerance policy to any form of harassment—either sexual or nonsexual. By embracing these laws and policies, the Agency aims to develop the fullest potential of all employees, without unfairly favoring or disadvantaging any group of employees. The Office of Equal Employment Opportunity (OEEO) is the Agency focal point for equal opportunity and compliance programs. OEEO's two staffs ensure that the Agency is a workplace free of discrimination and harassment and that qualified employees with disabilities are given the tools they need to succeed. OEEO's Counseling and Investigation Staff advises employees and managers on preventing and addressing discrimination and harassment. The staff uses a variety of educational, liaison, and outreach opportunities. EEO Counselors respond to complaints with prompt intervention. Their goal is to defuse conflict, mitigate collateral damage, and facilitate resolution. EEO investigators develop impartial, factual investigative reports which Agency managers, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission officials, and US District Court judges use in making decisions about cases. The Reasonable Accommodations Staff (RAS) provides assistive technology and specialized services to meet the job-related needs of disabled Agency employees. An Assistive Technology Officer works directly with individuals and their managers to evaluate the work environment, research existing technology, and acquire and deploy the appropriate accommodation for each request. RAS also provides sign language interpreters and readers for the blind to support individuals from application to retirement. OEEO maintains centralized funding for assistive technology products and services, as well as for structural changes that are necessary to accommodate an individual with a disability. The office individually evaluates each request to provide the most appropriate reasonable accommodation. OEEO also supports Agency management by coordinating outreach efforts with the DCI's Special Assistant for Diversity Plans and Programs, working with the Agency's Ombudsman, and assisting the Agency Diversity Council and various affinity groups.

Strong OEEO support has helped the Agency earn recognition recently from two organizations that champion individuals with disabilities in the workforce. The Fairfax Area Disability Services Board named CIA a 1998 Employer of the Year. In June 1998, the Agency received the Public Sector Employer of the Year Award from CAREERS AND THE DISABLED Magazine. The magazine cited the success of the CIA Internship Program for People with Disabilities, an Agency Recruitment Center initiative that was designed to provide entry-level work opportunities to people with disabilities who have little or no work experience. The magazine also praised the Agency's Assistive Technology Employee Resource and Information Center (ATERIC). ATERIC provides reasonable accommodations using specialized products and services to otherwise qualified employees with disabilities. Examples of products and services available include, but are not limited to: Braille hardware and software, text and computer screen enlargement, and readers for the blind and visually impaired; TTY technology, audio enhancement, captioning, and interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing; ergonomic furniture and keyboards for employees with repetitive motion injuries; and scooters for employees with mobility limitations. OEEO also supports management by coordinating with the Recruitment Center, assisting the Agency Diversity Council and various affinity groups, offering diversity training to all employees, and participating in inter-Agency efforts such as the Community Diversity Issues Board and the Community Deaf and Disabled Accommodation Action Team.

Dr. John Craven ... was CIA's 1996 Scientist of the Year and in 1997 was named one of the fifty CIA Trailblazers for his enduring contributions to the Agency. Dr. Craven demonstrated a revolutionary new digital logic technology which made possible digital processing speeds more than 100 times faster than the computers available at the time. He also worked on a self-aligning, self-tracking laser communications system which overcame several disadvantages of current laser systems. Dr. Craven is a quadriplegic as a result of a 1971 swimming accident. He chose to continue his CIA career instead of retiring on disability. The Agency and Dr. Craven worked together over the course of his career to develop effective accommodations, including adaptive equipment, a part-time schedule, and working at home. With the help of his caregivers, Dr. Craven travels to the Agency a few times a week to provide briefings on his projects.