EEOC Renews Collaborative Agreements With Mexican Consulates in Pacific Northwest

Offices Agree to Work Together to Fight Discrimination

SEATTLE - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) today with the Consulate of Mexico in Seattle. This marks the fourth agreement signed between the federal civil rights agency and Mexican consulates throughout the Pacific Northwest, following signings in Portland, Oregon; San Francisco, Calif.; and Boise, Idaho.

Today in Seattle, Mexican Consul General Dr. Roberto Dondisch and EEOC San Francisco District Director William Tamayo signed an agreement renewing their ongoing partnership to provide Mexican nationals with information, guidance and access to resources on the prevention of discrimination in the workplace, regardless of immigration status.

"There is no better way to honor Labor Day than by signing these MOUs affirming the longstanding and beneficial collaboration between the Mexican consulate and EEOC," said Tamayo. "Together we can work to ensure that vulnerable workers understand their rights and are protected from discrimination."

According to the state's Office of Financial Management's estimates, the Hispanic/Latino population in Washington is 850,276, or 12.2% of the total population. Tamayo noted that EEOC's San Francisco District has recently signed similar agreements with local Mexican Consulates in three other areas with significant Latino populations.

• On Aug. 29, Tamayo met with Consul General Francisco Maass Peña and Consul for Protection and Legal Affairs Heliette González Hernández to sign a landmark MOU with the Mexican Consulate in Portland. The Pew Research Center notes that Oregon has the 19th largest Hispanic population in the nation, with about 496,000 people, or 12% of the total state population.
• Also on Aug. 29, EEOC Deputy Director Michael Connolly and San Francisco Consul Gemí José González launched Labor Rights Week by signing a sequel MOU at a ceremony in San Francisco. Latinos make up 15.3% of the city's numbers and represent California's largest ethnic group, at 39% of the state population.
• On Sept. 2, Tamayo and Consul General Celso Humberto Delgado Ramírez committed to continuing the partnership between the federal agency and consulate in Boise, Idaho. The Idaho State Journal reported that Latinos have the fastest growth rate of any ethnic group statewide at 2.9%, and in 2014 reached 196,502, or 12% of the state's growth.

EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting discrimination in employment. EEOC's San Francisco District has jurisdiction over Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Northern Nevada and Northern California. Further information about the agency is available on its website at www.eeoc.gov in both English and Spanish, or by calling its toll-free number at 1-800-669-4000. EEOC's toll-free TTY number is 1-800-669-6820.