COMMISSION TO HEAR PANEL DISCUSS AGE DISCRIMINATION AND WORKPLACE ISSUES AFFECTING OLDER AMERICANS AT NEXT MEETING

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              CONTACT:   Claire Gonzales Tuesday, June 18, 1996                        Reginald Welch                                               (202) 663-4900                                               TDD:   (202) 663-4494 

PRESS RELEASE
6-18-96

WASHINGTON -- In the fifth of a series of Commission meetings focusing on specific types of unlawful employment discrimination, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will hear presentations by invited experts on employment bias against older Americans. EEOC enforces the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) which prohibits employment discrimination against persons 40 years of age or older.

The meeting will be held on Thursday, June 20, at 2 p.m. in the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Conference Room (9th floor), 1801 L Street, N.W. The public is urged to attend the meeting to hear the following speakers make presentations on the topic of employment discrimination based on age and its impact on the U.S. workforce:

• Lucretia M. Paschall, member of the National Legislative Council, American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
• Burton D. Fretz, Executive Director, National Senior Citizens Law Center
• Dr. Marta Sotomayor, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Hispanic Council on Aging
• Samuel J. Simmons, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc.
• Robert Blancato, partner of the Washington, D.C., government and public relations firm Matz, Shea, and Blancato, and Executive Director of the 1995 White House Conference on Aging

In fiscal year 1995, age discrimination charges filed with EEOC under the ADEA totaled 17,401, which accounted for 20% of all agency charge receipts. This ranks age discrimination charges as the fourth highest among all types of charges filed under EEOCenforced statutes. They are preceded by charges alleging race (34.3%), sex (29.9%), and disability (22.6%).

In March 1995, Chairman Casellas announced his intent to hold a series of special Commission meetings examining the specific bases of discrimination for which the EEOC has statutory responsibility. Previous meetings focused on national origin and race-based discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, wage-based discrimination under the Equal Pay Act, and disability-based discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Other types of discrimination to be addressed at future meetings include gender and religion.

In addition to enforcing the ADEA, which prohibits employment discrimination against persons 40 years of age or older, EEOC enforces Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin; the Equal Pay Act; the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in the private sector and state and local governments; prohibitions against discrimination affecting individuals with disabilities in the federal government; and sections of the Civil Rights Act of 1991.

NOTE TO MEDIA: The Commission agenda is subject to revision. You may call (202) 663-7100 (voice) or (202) 663-4074 (TDD) on June 20 to confirm the above schedule.

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