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Financial Status Report 2006

Federal Employees Legal Defense Fund, Inc. (FELDF) is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation. 

All contributions made to FELDF are tax deductible.

BACKGROUND: On October 5, 2005, a group of Department of Commerce (DoC) employees filed a $500 million dollar lawsuit in United States District Court against the Department.  The class action is represented by the law firm of Sanford, Wittels and Heisler, LLP.  The multi-million dollar lawsuit (Janet Howard, et. al vs. Carlos M. Gutierrez, Secretary United States Department of  Commerce) accuses DoC of historically using bias practices to disenfranchise African-American employees from job opportunities. 

FINANCIAL CLASS CONTRIBUTORS:  The potential class is comprised of an estimated 5,000 members.  Of this amount, a nominal group of the potential class are members of the five (5) DoC Blacks In Government chapters (NIST, NOAA, RHBC, PTO and CENSUS). Prior to the 2005 court filing, a series of meetings were held at BIG chapters in which potential class members were notified of the required amount of $150,000 to begin litigation.  This amount, however, does not cover the total expenses that may be incurred through final class litigation.  Each BIG Chapter, NIST excluded, agreed to raise $10,000 towards class litigation efforts.  The table below reflects monies raised during 2006. 

                                                           2006 Paid Expenses and Received Donations

                                                                          for Commerce Class Action

Total  Expenses: ---------------------------------         $ 12,025

BIG Chapter Donations Towards the $10,000:

NIST                                                   0              

NOAA                                                 0

RHBC                                                  0

PTO                                                     0

CEN                                                     0

Individual CFC Contributions Received: 4,145

         Undesignated CFC Portion                              200

         Direct Deposit                                                   754

Total Contributions: -------------------------------      $ 5,099 

• Of the 32 CFC contributions received, five (5) were from identified Commerce employees and twenty-seven (27) were from anonymous donors in the private sector and in Federal departments such as Transportation.  These contributions totaled $4,145.
• Undesignated share for participation in the Combined Federal Campaign totaled $200.
• Of the direct deposits, there were two (2) contributors; one (1) from Census and one (1) from NOAA. These 2 payroll deductions totaled $754.
•  

NOTE:   No BIG chapter attained the targeted donation goal of $10,000 to cover expected court litigation costs.