EEOC Seeks to Improve Federal Sector Equal Employment Opportunity Complaint Process

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on the equal employment opportunity (EEO) complaint process in the federal sector, the agency announced today.  The ANPRM, which has been coordinated with other federal agencies, is published in the Federal Register. 

The ANPRM signals the first public comprehensive review of the federal sector EEO complaint process undertaken by the EEOC in several decades.  The ANPRM contains a series of questions intended to encourage new thinking about the federal sector process. 

The EEOC became responsible for the federal sector EEO complaint process in 1979 when it inherited a complaint process from the Civil Service Commission.  Through rulemaking over the past decades, the EEOC has enhanced the process it inherited.  The EEOC is interested in hearing from the public whether the current process can be improved, and if so, whether far-reaching reforms are necessary or whether the process requires only a modest fine-tuning.

EEOC Chair Jenny Yang said, "I am encouraged by the prospect of reform to the federal sector complaint process, and I am pleased that Commissioner Feldblum has agreed to take the lead in this effort." The last significant change to the federal sector EEO complaint process occurred in 1999.  "For years, many people have discussed the possibility of reform," said Commissioner Chai Feldblum.  "The Commission is vitally interested in how to make the complaint process work better.  I and my colleagues look forward to hearing from interested stakeholders and the public on this issue and working to create a more efficient and effective process that will benefit both federal employers and employees."

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its public website at www.eeoc.gov.