EEOC Current Trends and Priorities

NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.

NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Current Trends and Settlement Process of Complaints Filed with the EEOC
EEOC Current Priorities
Key Takeaway from EEOC Process
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in America is in charge of enforcing federal regulations that illegalize employees’ discrimination or job applicants based on age, sex, color, race, or religion. Labor unions, employment agencies, and business owners with at least fifteen employees are under EEOC laws, which apply to all work situations. Tracking EEOC litigation trends is an excellent strategy for employers to remain clear of lawsuits since they show the body’s direction in the current and following year. This essay describes the process by which recent lawsuits being filed by EEOC are being resolved, as well as the agency’s top priorities.

Current Trends and Settlement Process of Complaints Filed with the EEOC

EEOC’s current lawsuits include retaliation and discrimination of pregnant and transgender employees, older workers above forty years, the disabled, and sexual harassment. A recently resolved issue on the EEOC website is a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit. In this case, the agency claimed that Allied Universal, a security services company, transferred a Baton Rouge security guard to a more strenuous position after it was known that she was pregnant. After complaining, the organization gave her an involuntary leave and refused to reinstate her to her position when she was ready to go back to work.

Allied Universal kept the employee on leave for more than a month and fired her after that. The alleged conduct violated the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), which forbids segregation based on sex, including pregnancy (“U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,” n.d). According to EEOC, employers should not work against but work with pregnant employees. The suit settlement was completed on March 5, 2021, and it demanded that Allied Universal pays the security guard $110,000 in damages and back pay.

A second lawsuit filed by the EEOC was against the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). As per the agency, MDHHS had violated employment regulations by refusing to hire a job applicant because she was fifty-six years old. The candidate applied for a clinical social worker position and became the unanimous first choice of a three-person recruiting pane. The services director declined the selection and chose a young, inexperienced contender because he preferred a younger staff.

The alleged behavior infringes the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) which bans business owners from segregating employees or job applicants because they are above forty years old (“U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,” n.d.). The EEOC first tried to obtain a pre-litigation settlement from MDHHS through its conciliation procedure. After the efforts above were proven futile, the agency proceeded to file suit in court. The case’s court settlement demanded that MDHHS pays $115,000 and offers other relief to the affected person to resolve the lawsuit.

EEOC Current Priorities

The priority of EEOC is discrimination against disabled workers. The agency is increasingly broadening its definition of a disability. In the new plan, EEOC will focus on the areas of inflexible leave policies and job qualification standards to cover incapacitated employees. Secondly, the body focuses on accommodating limitations related to pregnancy. EEOC heavily weights on eliminating pregnancy as equal treatment in the workplace barrier. Therefore, the agency advises employers to handle pregnant women like any other employee with a temporary medical problem by offering necessary job modifications as specified in the worker’s medical report.

EEOC also prioritizes shielding LGBTQ workers from discrimination based on sex and addressing discriminatory acts against Muslims. Lastly, the agency focuses on clarifying workplace rights and the employment relationship with relevant stakeholders (Bagenstos, 2017). Staffing agencies, the on-demand economy, temporary workers, and independent contractors are all transforming the dynamic employer-employee bond.

The EEOC reaffirms its priority areas regularly, with necessary additions and modifications to narrow the body’s focus and, subsequently, update emerging issues that need attention. The commission clarifies how these priorities are incorporated into its management system and the significance of strengthening this integration across offices and programs to ensure accountability (Bagenstos, 2017). In this way, the EEOC efforts will be effective to ensure that available resources are leveraged where they are most effective. From inflexible leave and qualification standards to acts of discrimination in the workplace, the aforementioned issues parallel societal problems that are also gaining the media spotlight. Therefore, these priorities are very appropriate for U.S. society.

Key Takeaway from EEOC Process

The most interesting thing about the EEOC process is what happens after one has filed a complaint. In case of discrimination against an employee or job applicant, the commission assigns an investigator to examine the claim, which might involve statements, interviews, and other relevant documentation. The aforementioned process is of interest because the investigation is non-adversarial, meaning the person tasked with looking into the case is obliged to collect necessary evidence regardless of the commission or the applicant’s position concerning the evidence items (Petry, 2018). Therefore, employers need to treat all their workers fairly to avoid going through the process and giving out the company’s confidential details or reports.

Conclusion

To conclude, the EEOC is critical in the U.S. because it sets the baseline for how employers should handle their employees and how workers treat each other in the workplace. Although the commission has enacted regulations, it is up to business owners to establish a culture that does not allow discriminatory behavior. Doing so will create a comfortable and dynamic work environment that provides everyone with an opportunity to thrive. However, the EEOC has compiled a collection of best practices that can help employers prevent segregation at work, including training staff and developing strong policies that promote accountability.

References

Bagenstos, S. R. (2017). The EEOC, the ADA, and workplace wellness programs. Health Matrix, 27, 81. Web.

Petry, E. (2018). Master of its own case: EEOC investigations after issuing a right-to-sue notice. The University of Chicago Law Review, 85(5), 1227-1268. Web.

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (n.d.). Web.

Click Here To Order Now!

EEOC Current Trends and Priorities

Do you need this or any other assignment done for you from scratch?

We have qualified writers to help you.

We assure you a quality paper that is 100% free from plagiarism and AI.

You can choose either format of your choice ( Apa, Mla, Havard, Chicago, or any other)