Keith E. Sonderling Sworn in as EEOC Commissioner and Vice Chair

WASHINGTON – Keith E. Sonderling was sworn in today as Commissioner of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced this morning.  Sonderling was nominated by President Trump on July 17, 2019, re-nominated on March 16, 2020, and was confirmed on September 22, 2020 by a Senate vote of 52-41 to serve as Commissioner, for a term expiring July 1, 2024. Sonderling was also designated by President Trump to serve as Vice Chair of the Commission.

Sonderling joins Chair Janet Dhillon and Commissioners Charlotte A. Burrows and Victoria A. Lipnic on the presidentially appointed bipartisan Commission. One vacancy remains on the Commission.

"I am pleased to welcome Mr. Sonderling to this vitally important agency," said EEOC Chair Janet Dhillon.  "His vast experience with labor and employment issues, including his most recent accomplishments with the U.S. Department of Labor promise an ideally suited and valuable asset to the EEOC. I look forward to working with Keith, and my other colleagues on the Commission, to continue to promote equal opportunity for all."

Prior to his appointment to the EEOC, Sonderling served as the Deputy Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor. He previously served as the Acting Administrator. The Wage and Hour Division administers and enforces Federal labor laws including the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, and the labor provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.  Prior to joining the administration in 2017, he practiced labor and employment law at the Florida-based Gunster Law Firm. He received his B.S., magna cum laude, from the University of Florida and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Nova Southeastern University.

"I am humbled and honored to serve as a Commissioner of the EEOC, and to be entrusted with a position where I can continue to work to prevent and remedy workplace discrimination and to advance the rights of the American workforce. I arrive eager to draw on my valuable experience with the Department of Labor to laser-focus on furthering the EEOC’s mission,” Sonderling said.  

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.