For Immediate Release
April 26, 2018
Media Contact: Vincent Wang
765-409-2585 or vincent.wang@ohiocaa.org
OCAA Applauds MSPB Judge Decision in Favor of Sherry Chen, Urges the DOC to Comply and Work with Inspector General to Investigate Mishandling and Racial Bias
Sherry Chen was an award winning scientist at the National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio and her work was used to predict floods and avoid loss of lives and property damage when she was wrongfully arrested and accused of espionage in 2014. Her life was turned upside down, only to see all charges against her dropped a week before trial in 2015, and yet her job terminated by the Department of Commerce (DOC) in 2016 for the same wrongful accusations.
Sherry Chen stood up against the injustice and filed an appeal with the U.S. Merit System Protection Board (MSPB) against the DOC, for wrongful termination, race discrimination and retaliation. In March 2017, the MSPB held a two-day hearing of her case in Cincinnati. Ohio Chinese American Association (OCAA) organized a “Stand with Sherry Chen” rally outside the courthouse with many from across the country standing in the freezing weather to support Ms. Chen.
On April 23, 2018, Chief Administrative Judge Michele Schroeder of the MSPB released a 130-page decision, ruling that the DOC did not have cause to fire Sherry Chen and ordered the agency to (1) reinstate her employment at the National Weather Service, and (2) pay her back pay plus benefits.
We applaud the MSPB and Judge Schroeder for reviewing the case thoroughly and making the right decision in favor of Sherry Chen and rejecting the DOC’s allegations against her that arose from its scurrilous claim. We commend Sherry Chen’s courage and tenacity in pursuing justice and congratulate her on her victory.
This is a significant milestone for Sherry Chen, for the Asian American community, and for the nation as whole, in our quest for equal justice for all people regardless of their race, color and national origin. It sends a strong message to those who have a tendency to stereotype, target and/or discriminate Asian Americans and other minorities – we all embrace the American values and contribute to the American society, and we have the will and capacity as a community to defend our rights as an equal citizen in this country.
We urge the DOC to accept the MSPB’s well-reasoned decision and immediately comply with it, allowing Sherry Chen to return to the work that she loves and excels in, and benefits our nation. We also call on the DOC to work with its Inspector General to conduct a full investigation into the handling of Sherry’s case, for racial bias, abuse of power, violation of due process, and lack of efficiency.
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The Ohio Chinese American Association (OCAA) is a nonprofit organization with the missions to unite Chinese Americans, raise awareness of the rights and obligations as an American citizen, and promote American values and assimilation to the American society. More information can be found at its website ohiocaa.org.
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Chinese Version
2018年4月26日
OCAA赞赏MSPB判决陈霞芬胜诉，敦促商务部尽快执行，并配合督察长调查陈案处理中的不当行为和种族歧视\
陈霞芬（Sherry Chen）是一名曾经在国家气象局（National Weather Service，NWS）工作的优秀科学家，为密西西比河流域的洪水检测和预防做出了杰出的贡献，她的工作挽救了很多生命财产。2014年10月，因被她人诬告为“中国间谍”，她被政府错误逮捕。2015年3月，在开庭审讯前一周，政府撤销了对陈霞芬的所有指控。2016年3月，国家气象局的上级主管部门、美国商务部（Department of Commerce, DOC）却以相同的错误理由把陈霞芬解雇。
面对政府的不公待遇，陈霞芬勇敢站起来，向美国联邦考绩委员会（Merit System Protection Board，MSPB）上诉，状告商务部的不当解雇、种族歧视、和打击报复。2017年3月，MSPB听证会在辛辛那提举行。俄亥俄华人协会（Ohio Chinese American Association ，OCAA）组织在举行听证会的联邦法院外面集会示威，来自全国各地的各族人士站在凛冽的寒风中，支持陈霞芬。
2018年4月23日，MSPB的首席行政法官（Chief Administrative Judge）Michele Schroeder 发布了一份长达130页的宣判书，指出商务部没有正当理由解雇陈霞芬，责令商务部（1）恢复陈霞芬在国家气象局的工作；（2）给陈霞芬补发所有工资和福利。
MSPB和Schroeder法官对陈霞芬的案子进行了全面的审查后，做出了正确的判决，宣布陈霞芬胜诉，并且驳斥了商务部针对陈霞芬提出的大量的、存有不良动机的指责。我们向MSPB和Schroeder法官表示赞赏。我们对陈霞芬女士在过去几年来勇敢而坚韧不拔地追求公平正义表示钦佩，并祝贺她取得胜利。
这个判决，对陈霞芬本人、整个亚裔美国人社区 、乃至美国整个国家，都是一个重要的里程碑；它彰显了我们所追求的平等，是不分种族、肤色、和出生国家的。这个判决，向那些对亚裔和其他少数族裔持有偏见、歧视，或者把我们刻板化的人传递了一个强烈的信号：我们都崇尚美国价值观，我们都为美国社会贡献了自己的力量；我们有意志和力量维护自己作为美国社会的平等一员应有的权利。
我们敦促商务部接受MSPB作出的合理判决，立即执行判决规定的事项，恢复陈霞芬的工作，让她在她所喜欢并且擅长的领域为国家继续做出贡献。我们也希望商务部积极与商务部督察长配合，调查那些在处理陈霞芬案过程中所出现的种族偏见、违反正当程序、和办事乏力等行为。
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俄亥俄华人协会（Ohio Chinese American Association ，OCAA）是一个非营利组织，宗旨是团结俄亥俄华人和支持华人的朋友，加强华裔公民的维权意识和责任感，促进对美国价值观的认识和社会参与。关于我们的更多信息请见网站ohiocaa.org。