The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has denied issuing an order to halt all federal class discrimination complaints. The denial comes after a labor union and two female prison guards sued the EEOC for indefinitely suspending proceedings in their case.
EEOC Response
The EEOC Chief Operating Officer, Sharon Rose, stated that an administrative judge issued the notification in error and that it was an isolated incident. The case has been transferred to another administrative judge, who has scheduled further proceedings.
The lawsuit claimed that the EEOC had suspended proceedings in the case as part of a wider effort to halt all federal-sector class claims pending before the agency’s administrative judges. The plaintiffs argued that the suspension was not an isolated incident, but rather part of a larger pattern of the EEOC halting class complaints.
Background
The EEOC has faced criticism for its handling of civil rights enforcement under the current administration. The agency has drastically overhauled its priorities, including prioritizing cases aimed at stamping out diversity and inclusion policies and dropping cases on behalf of transgender workers.
The EEOC has referred questions to the Justice Department, which has not responded to requests for comment. The plaintiffs are willing to engage in discussion with the Justice Department to resolve the issue outside of court.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
