EEOC Provides Online Service to Federal Employees' Hearings and Appeals of Discrimination Complaints

EEOC Public Portal Allows Online Interactions With the Agency

WASHINGTON -- Today the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced the expansion of its EEOC Public Portal to allow federal employees and applicants to file and manage requests for hearings and appeals of their federal equal employment opportunity (EEO) complaints.

"This secure online system is a faster and easier way for federal employees, agencies and the EEOC to communicate, send and receive documents, and track case status," said EEOC Chair Janet Dhillon. "We expect it to greatly improve the efficiency and transparency of the EEOC's hearings and appeals of discrimination complaints brought by federal employees and applicants."

The EEOC Public Portal allows federal employees and applicants (complainants) to create an account in order to submit an online request for a hearing or to file an appeal of their discrimination complaint. The Public Portal also permits these complainants to:

• Identify an attorney or representative and provide their contact information
• Submit and receive documents supporting their case
• Check the status of their case
• Update contact information
• Respond to an invitation to engage in alternative dispute resolution at the hearings stage

 The EEOC is also notifying complainants with pending cases that they may register in the Public Portal to manage their cases. Individuals with hearings and appeals that were filed on or after Oct. 1, 2016 that are still pending and who have an email address in their case file will receive an email with instructions on how to register and create an account in the Public Portal.

The EEOC has developed Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and User Guides to help federal employees and their representatives and federal agencies use the EEOC Public Portal.

The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employ­ment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.