Analyzing Alternative Dispute Resolution processes in the federal sector

The current use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes to settle employee complaints has gained broad acceptance in the American workplace, including most agencies within the federal government. In the United States employment litigation has become the fastest growing area of federal civil litigation with a 2,166% increase in the last 20 years and average annual costs up over 100% in some areas. However, since comprehensive implementation by corporate America and the federal government in the 1990s there is very little research to validate how ADR processes have performed. This study is a quantitative comparative study of archived data provided by the federal government designed to examine the effectiveness and efficiency of the ADR process over a 3-year timeframe from FY2003 - 2005. The researcher analyzed data from every category of federal agency with the exception of those agencies precluded from publishing data due to matters of national security. The results of the research may provide important information for managers, workers, and human resources personnel by establishing an important benchmark for future studies when analyzing the efficiency and effectiveness of settling employee complaints utilizing ADR processes.