Memorandum of Understanding Between the National Association of Attorneys General and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

The enforcement of laws against employment discrimination and
the eradication of unfair employment practices is a national
priority.  State and federal officials' strong interest in
enforcement and elimination of employment discrimination crosses
regional  lines as well as particular Administrations.  The
signatories to this Memorandum of Understanding agree that it is
critical to develop effective and lasting mechanisms for
communication and cooperation among state Attorneys General and
the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) responsible for
the enforcement of federal and state employment discrimination
laws.  It is also agreed that those mechanisms should continue
through changes in administration at the national and state
levels.  Accordingly, the  signatories to this Memorandum of
Understanding agree to establish the following institutional
mechanisms for communication, cooperation and joint work on
affirmative enforcement of employment discrimination laws:

     1.   The EEOC will designate a district office liaison to
          each state Attorney General office that chooses to
          participate in the program who will be responsible for
          ensuring communication and cooperation with the
          participating state Attorneys General.  The EEOC will
          also designate headquarters liaison(s) to state
          Attorneys General  for amicus requests and for other
          specified purposes.  Each participating state Attorney
          General will designate an employment discrimination
          liaison who will be responsible for ensuring
          communication and cooperation with other state Attorneys
          General and the EEOC.  The co-chairs of the permanent
          Working Group described in paragraph 6 below will be
          responsible for circulating a list of liaisons and for
          notifying the liaisons of any changes in designations
          that are made. The liaisons' responsibilities will
          include: sharing information about pending or proposed
          litigation or projects which are likely to contribute
          significantly to the development of employment
          discrimination laws or which involve significant pattern
          and practice violations; identifying technical
          assistance and training needs; providing pleadings and
          briefs to each other; bringing important judicial
          decisions and other emerging issues to the attention of
          other liaisons; notifying each other of pending
          legislation concerning employment laws and practices;
          making requests for amicus assistance or intervention or
          other types of legal assistance; and otherwise ensuring
          the timely and effective dissemination of significant
          information related to employment discrimination.

     2.   The EEOC will provide informational reports (limited to
          information of public record) to the National
          Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) for circulation
          to each participating state Attorney General.   State
          Attorneys General offices will submit reports to NAAG
          for a quarterly report on important employment
          discrimination developments in their states which will
          be shared with all signatories to this agreement.  

     3.   Representatives of state Attorneys General and the EEOC
          will participate in regular conference calls and will
          meet annually to, as appropriate: discuss national,
          regional and state employment discrimination issues;
          share investigative techniques and information regarding
          effective methods of enforcement; identify potential
          joint enforcement efforts; identify and initiate joint
          litigation and policy enforcement efforts; organize and
          coordinate training activities; and bring important
          judicial decisions and emerging issues to the attention
          of each other.  The representatives will also share
          information about fair employment initiatives and
          coordinate and combine efforts to address employment
          discrimination in a manner that most effectively
          utilizes the expertise and resources of the represented
          offices.  Any sharing of information shall be consistent
          with applicable confidentiality provisions.  NAAG's
          staff, in consultation with representatives of state
          Attorneys General, and a representative of the EEOC,
          will be responsible for coordinating the annual meetings
          and the conference calls.  

     4(a) In order to effectively address common concerns, the
          EEOC and the state Attorneys General  intend to develop
          joint enforcement initiatives in one or more areas of
          mutual concern.  The signing of this Memorandum does not
          obligate the EEOC or any state Attorney General  to
          participate in any joint initiative.  A state Attorney
          General  that desires to participate in a joint
          initiative with the EEOC will supply a letter of
          participation to the EEOC.
          
       (b)     The signatories direct the establishment of an
               Employment Task Force to report on the most
               effective means practicable for carrying out the
               joint initiatives referenced in paragraph 4(a) and
               to coordinate the implementation of the joint
               initiatives.  The Task Force will consider, among
               other things, joint initiatives in which each
               participating agency commits personnel and
               resources to policy initiatives and investigation
               and litigation efforts.  The Task Force will make
               recommendations about which agencies should lead
               the enforcement efforts in a particular subject
               area and geographic location, taking into account
               the relative expertise of the participants, the
               extent of resources each agency commits to the
               project, the nature of the remedies or sanctions
               for the violation of law available in a state or
               federal forum, and similar criteria.    Problems in
               the implementation of joint initiatives will be
               brought to the attention of the Working Group
               described in paragraph 6, below, for resolution.

     5.   The EEOC and the state Attorneys General will continue
          to enforce laws independently of one another.  EEOC and
          participating state Attorneys General will notify in
          writing each other's offices functioning in their
          jurisdiction of their enforcement efforts whenever an
          office commences a civil enforcement action in an
          administrative agency or court, which it believes is
          likely to contribute significantly to the development of
          employment discrimination law.  Notifications will be
          made to the relevant liaison(s) designated pursuant to
          paragraph 1 above within two business days of the event
          triggering the notification requirement, if possible. 
          Notifications will not be made if any office determines
          that such notification is inappropriate under the
          circumstances.

     6.   The signatories to this Agreement direct the
          establishment of an Employment Working Group which will
          continue as a permanent body.  It will consist of
          representatives designated by the EEOC and
          representatives of state Attorneys General designated by
          the President of the National Association of Attorneys
          General.   The Working Group will be co-chaired by a
          representative of the EEOC and representatives of two
          state Attorneys General.  The Working Group will serve
          as a clearinghouse for information and complaints about
          the implementation of this agreement, investigate
          whether improvements in the mechanisms for communication
          and cooperation are needed, identify common training
          requirements and plan training events, assist in the
          resolution of conflicts arising in joint initiatives or
          enforcement efforts, and otherwise make recommendations
          for ways to advance the objective of joint enforcement
          of employment discrimination laws.  Each co-chair of the
          Employment Working Group will be available to receive
          information from employment discrimination liaisons
          about problems in the implementation of this agreement. 
          The Working Group will communicate with each other
          regularly, but not less than once a year.



On Behalf of the National Association of Attorneys General**



          /s/                           
_________________________________       
James Doyle                             
President           

          10 Nov. 1997   
______________________________
Date                               


          /s/
_________________________________  
Drew Ketterer                      
Chair, Civil Rights Committee           


          Nov. 10, 1997
______________________________          
Date


On Behalf of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission


          /s/
__________________________________
Gilbert F. Casellas
Chairman


          11/10/97
__________________________________
Date

                       _________________________
     
     **   Signing directed as the result of the passage of a NAAG
Resolution to that effect, dated ___________, 199_.