EEOC TO REFLECT ON YEAR-END ACCOMPLISHMENTS, EXPLORE FUTURE CHALLENGES AT NEXT COMMISSION MEETING

PRESS RELEASE
9-25-99

WASHINGTON - The next meeting of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will be held on Tuesday, September 28, at 2:00 p.m. in the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Conference Room (9th Floor), 1801 L Street, N.W.

The public meeting will focus on EEOC's achievements during fiscal year 1999 (which ends September 30), with a special focus on the national mediation program, small business initiative, and expanded stakeholder outreach. Representatives of key stakeholder groups will present their views of the Commission's work and comment on the progress it has made and the challenges that lie ahead at the agency. The public is urged to attend the open meeting at which the following business will be conducted:

• Opening Announcements
• Opening Remarks by Chairwoman Ida L. Castro and Commissioners
• Litigation Report by General Counsel C. Gregory Stewart
• Panel Discussion on EEOC's National Mediation Program: Presenters scheduled to participate include Ted D. Meyer (Defense Bar), Partner, law firm of Seyfarth, Shaw, Fairweather & Geraldson; and Elizabeth Thornton, Director, Office of Field Programs, EEOC.
• Panel Discussion on EEOC's Small Business Initiative: Presenters scheduled to participate include Joseph T. Dean, Governor's Small Business Advocate, Arizona Department of Commerce; George B. Winston III, President, GBW International, Inc.; and John Sarno, Executive Director, Employers Association of New Jersey.
• Discussion of Expanded Stakeholder Outreach: The presenter scheduled to participate is Marisa J. Demeo, Regional Counsel, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF). Ms. Demeo also serves as Chair of the Language Rights Task Force, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights.

Since her unanimous confirmation by the U.S. Senate on October 21, 1998, as the first Latina to Chair the Commission, Ms. Castro has aggressively reached out to a broad range of agency stakeholders. She has established an active dialogue and constructive relationship with the employer community, labor organizations, civil rights advocacy groups, and others in order to better meet the needs of those served by EEOC.

"While I am proud of the steady progress the EEOC has made this past year, I also recognize that more needs to be done in order to fully realize the successes inherent in the comprehensive enforcement agenda we have established for the Commission," Chairwoman Castro said. "The year ahead will mark the 35th anniversary of the EEOC. It is our goal to meet this historic occasion with unprecedented achievements through our collaborative approach with all stakeholders."

NOTE TO MEDIA: There will be a media availability and reception immediately following the Commission Meeting. Any matter not discussed or concluded may be carried over to a later meeting. The Commission agenda is subject to revision. You may call (202) 663-7100 (voice) or (202) 663-4075 (TTY) on September 27 to confirm the above schedule.

The 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 Age Discrimination in Employment Act; the Equal Pay Act; Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits employment 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. Additional information about the Commission is available on the agency's web site at www.eeoc.gov.

This page was last modified on November 27, 1999.