Comment Period Open for EEOC Strategic Enforcement Plan

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released for public comment, and published in the Federal Register on January 10, a draft of its Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP) for Fiscal Years 2023-2027, the agency announced today. Once finalized, the SEP will establish the EEOC’s upcoming enforcement priorities in its work to advance equal employment opportunity and prevent and remedy discrimination in the workplace.

The public is invited to submit comments on the draft plan through regulations.gov on or before February 9, 2023. The draft plan remains under review and has not been approved by the Commission.  The final plan is subject to approval by a vote of the Commission.

The draft SEP is the result of a collaborative effort involving representatives of EEOC leadership and program offices over the past nine months. As part of this process, the EEOC hosted three listening sessions to obtain public input. The listening sessions—available on the EEOC’s YouTube channel—focused on racial and economic justice, vulnerable workers, and a host of issues related to the EEOC’s current strategic enforcement priorities. Witnesses included representatives from civil rights and workers’ rights organizations; employer and human resource representatives; and attorneys representing plaintiffs and defendants in EEO matters. The insights gained from these listening sessions helped inform the contents of the draft SEP.

The Commission voted unanimously to publish the draft SEP in the Federal Register for public comment. The purpose of seeking public input on the draft SEP is to ensure that the future work of the EEOC will reflect the agency’s values and the needs of all those who have a stake in its mission. Prior to publication of the SEP, the agency released a draft of its 2022-2026 Strategic Plan (SP), which is a separate agency document, for public comment. The Commission has considered those comments and is finalizing the SP. The SP outlines strategic objectives, goals and performance measures for the agency. The SEP works together with the Strategic Plan by establishing the EEOC’s substantive area priorities.

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.