EEOC Approves Strategic Enforcement Plan

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has approved a Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP) for 2013- 2016 to establish national enforcement priorities and better integrate enforcement responsibilities.

The SEP is the result of unprecedented public and staff input, says the EEOC, including the creation of an internal SEP Workgroup to develop a draft of the plan. More than 30 stakeholders testified at a public meeting, many urging the Commission to target specific discrimination issues and to improve the efficiency, quality and consistency of its enforcement programs and in dealing with the public.

The SEP identifies six national priorities as the focus of an integrated enforcement effort:

• Eliminating barriers in recruitment and hiring;
• Protecting immigrant, migrant and other vulnerable workers;
• Addressing emerging and developing employment discrimination issues;
• Enforcing equal pay laws;
• Preserving access to the legal system; and
• Preventing harassment through systemic enforcement and targeted outreach

The SEP also calls for the development of local and federal sector priorities to address particular issues prevalent in either a geographic location or within the federal sector.

Access the SEP