EEOC Legal Resources

The EEOC is charged with enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information.  In addition, the EEOC writes regulations that interpret a number of laws addressing how federal agencies should operate. 

• Laws: The EEOC enforces several federal workplace discrimination laws and ensures compliance with federal laws addressing how the EEOC and other federal agencies function. This page also lists relevant workplace laws enforced by other agencies and includes links to each of those agencies.
• Regulations and Guidelines: The EEOC issues regulations and guidelines that explain the federal employment discrimination laws and clarify how the EEOC and other federal agencies should operate;
• Regulatory Process: The EEOC develops and drafts regulations in compliance with federal rulemaking requirements, including issuing proposed rules, requesting and reviewing public comments, and submitting updates for the regulatory agenda.
• Guidance: The EEOC issues guidance expressing official agency policy and explaining how the EEO laws and regulations apply to specific workplace situations. When the EEOC seeks public comment on proposed guidance, it posts those draft documents on this page. When public comment periods are open, this page includes links to submit public comments. 
• Coordination: The EEOC exercises its coordination authority in two key areas: the federal government and the private sector (including state and local governments) with a goal to enhance the uniformity and consistency of workplace antidiscrimination efforts.
• Memoranda of Understanding: EEOC establishes cooperative agreements with other federal agencies and, in some cases, with foreign government offices in the United States. These agreements, known as Memoranda of Understanding or MOUs, enhance the application of the equal employment opportunity laws.