Issues

Issues are the “acts of harm” you suffered at the hands of your management official(s): termination, suspension, warning, denied accommodation, denied sick leave, denied annual leave, denied promotion, denied bonus, denied hire, harassment, and denied terms and conditions of employment (such as FMLA, OWCP benefits, health insurance, lunch break, etc.).  "Discrimination" or "retaliation" can never be the "issue" or “act of harm,” despite the meaning the word conveys in normal English.  You cannot be discriminated or retaliated against without the act of harm you suffered. Remedies are generally derived from the “acts of harm.”

Bases

Bases are the protected classes identified in the law such as African-American,
Caucasian, Black, White, Color (dark brown, light brown, etc.), Age 40 or older, Sex (male or female), National Origin (Mexico, Mexican ancestry, Russia, Russian ancestry, Kenya, Kenyan ancestry, China, Chinese ancestry, etc.), Disability (back
injury, asthma, PTSD, depression, association with someone with disability, etc.), Religion (Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, etc.), sexual orientation, and Retaliation (prior EEO activities including prior reasonable accommodation requests, any protest or complaint regarding discrimination alleged, or providing statements as a witness on an EEO case, etc.).