Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the United States
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the Federal agency responsible for regulating and enforcing the laws prohibiting discrimination in the work place.
Description
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces laws prohibiting
employment discrimination based on race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age,
disability, or genetic information.
The EEOC was created by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e-4), and became operational July 2, 1965. Laws under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s enforcement mission include:
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.),
- Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (29 U.S.C. 621 et seq.),
- sections of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 791 et seq.),
- Equal Pay Act of 1963 (29 U.S.C. 206),
- Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.), and
- sections of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 (105 Stat. 1071).
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is a bipartisan commission comprising ?ve members appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, for staggered
5-year terms. The President designates a Chairman and Vice Chairman. In addition
to the members of the Commission, the President appoints a General Counsel,
with the advice and consent of the Senate, to support the Commission and
provide direction, coordination, and supervision of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s litigation program. The General Counsel serves for a term of 4 years.
Activities
Enforcement
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces its statutory, regulatory, policy, and program responsibilities through its headquartersbased Office of Field Programs, Office
of General Counsel, and 53 ?eld of?ces. The ?eld of?ces receive charges of
discrimination from the public and use a variety of resolution methods,
tailored to each charge, from voluntary mediation to full-scale investigation and
conciliation. The ?eld staff is responsible:
- for achieving a wide range of objectives that focus on the quality, timeliness, and appropriateness of individual, class, and systemic charges;
- for securing relief for victims of discrimination in accordance with Commission policies;
- for counseling individuals about their rights under the laws enforced by the EEOC; and
- for conducting outreach and technical assistance programs.
The Office of General Counsel conducts the Commission’s litigation in U.S. District Courts and Courts of Appeal. For information on the nearest ?eld of?ce, visit the Web site at www.eeoc.gov/?eld/index.cfm.
Complaints Against the Federal Government
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission establishes the procedures for Federal employees and job applicants to ?le complaints of employment discrimination or retaliation.
The agency charged with discrimination is responsible for informal counseling
and, if a complaint is ?led and accepted, investigating the claims raised therein.
At the conclusion of the investigation, complainants may request a hearing
before an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission administrative judge or that the agency issue a ?nal decision on the matter. The agency’s ?nal decision or ?nal action after a hearing may be appealed to the Commission.
In addition, the Office of Federal Operations provides oversight and
technical assistance concerning equal employment opportunity (EEO)
complaint adjudication and the maintenance of af?rmative employment
programs throughout the Federal Government. Using the guidance and
principles contained in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s EEO Management Directive 715, the Commission monitors and evaluates Federal agencies’ af?rmative employment programs under Title VII and section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act and ensures that
all Federal employees compete on a fair and level playing ?eld.
Other Activities
The Commission promotes voluntary compliance with equal employment opportunity statutes through a variety of educational and technical assistance activities. The Commission’s outreach and education programs provide general information about the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, its mission, rights and responsibilities under the statutes enforced by the Commission, and the charge/complaint process. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission representatives are available, on a limited basis, at no cost, to make presentations
and participate in meetings, conferences, and seminars with employee and
employer groups, professional associations, students, nonpro?t entities,
community organizations, and other members of the general public.
The Commission also offers more in-depth training tailored to employers
for a fee. This training is available to private employers and State, local,
and Federal government personnel through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Training Institute.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Training Institute provides a wide variety of training to assist in educating managers and employees on the laws enforced by the EEOC and how to prevent and eliminate discrimination in the workplace. The EEOC develops
policy guidance and provides technical assistance to employers and employees
and coordinates with other agencies and stakeholders regarding the statutes and
regulations it enforces.
The Commission also publishes data on the employment status of minorities
and women through six employment surveys covering private employers, apprenticeship programs, labor unions, State and local governments, elementary
and secondary schools, and colleges and universities. This collection of data
is shared with selected Federal agencies and is made available, in appropriate
form, for public use.
For further information, see eeoc.gov.
Legal Materials
The EEOC web site posts laws, regulations, Memoranda of Understanding, Enforcement Guidance, press releases, enforcement statistics, Appellate and Amicus Briefs and other useful information.
LLSDC’s Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Laws, Cases, and Resources page links to the major equal employment laws, selected cases, CRS reports, as well as related governmental and non-governmental web sites.
Most EEOC decisions are published in CCH’s EEOC Decisions. Selected decisions are available in the CCH Health Care Compliance Reporter Online. Both are available through Intelliconnect (subscription required).
Lexis has EEOC decisions concerning Federal government employees (“public sector decisions”) from 1994 to the present.
Westlaw has EEOC public sector decisions from 1977 to the present and private sector decisions from 1969 to the present.
BNA publishes EEOC notices and orders, the EEOC Compliance Manual and the EEOC Regional Attorneys Manual. These materials are available on Westlaw and in the “EEO Compliance” section of BNA’s Labor and Employment Law Resource Center.
CCH also publishes the EEOC Compliance Manual, which is available on Intelliconnect and Lexis (CCHEMP;EEOCCM).
The U.S. government agencies handle its own employment discrimination complaints, but appeals go to the EEOC; these appellate decisions are posted by the EEOC back to 2000.
To get a “Charge Report” (i.e., the complaint filed by an individual with the EEOC), call the EEOC. As of October 2000, the person handling these requests was James Ramesey (202-663-4406).
The EEOC used to issue “ORA” decisions. ORA decisions were once available on a CD-ROM called Personet; I am not sure if the CD is still available. If necessary, you can call the EEOC library in Washington (202-663-4630) and ask them to send you a copy of the decision.
The Memory Hole posts the EEOC’s Brief Bank Index.
See Also
Employment Discrimination
Equal employment
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Eeoc) in Labor Law
According to unr.edu, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Eeoc) is defined as: The federal government agency mandated to enforce Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. The Commission has five members, each appointed to a five year term by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of Congress. The Federal Commission on Equal Employment Opportunity has the power to bring suits, subpoena witnesses, issue guidelines which have the force of law, render decisions, provide legal assistance to complainants, etc., in regard to fair employment.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Eeoc) in Labor Law
According to unr.edu, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Eeoc) is defined as: The federal government agency mandated to enforce Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. The Commission has five members, each appointed to a five year term by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of Congress. The Federal Commission on Equal Employment Opportunity has the power to bring suits, subpoena witnesses, issue guidelines which have the force of law, render decisions, provide legal assistance to complainants, etc., in regard to fair employment.
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