The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) recently released a four-year plan to prevent and remedy employment discrimination. Implementation of this plan will begin immediately. This Strategic Plan will cover fiscal years 2022-2026 and is focused on three primary goals, which are discussed in more detail below.

The first goal of the EEOC in its Strategic Plan is to combat and prevent employment discrimination through the EEOC’s law enforcement authorities, i.e., its litigation efforts. The EEOC plans to work toward this goal by 1) seeking resolutions that include specific, equitable relief, instead of only money damages; 2) increasing the agency’s efficiency in targeting systemic discrimination by providing more training to its staff attorneys and ensuring that each district office has at least two members of its staff focusing on identifying systemic discrimination;  3) increasing monitoring of conciliation agreements to ensure that workplaces that have been found to have discriminatory practices continue to be free from discrimination; and 4) modernizing its intake system, so requests for assistance can be processed more efficiently.

The EEOC’s second goal in the Strategic Plan is to prevent employment discrimination and advance equal employment opportunities through education and outreach. Toward this goal, the EEOC has adopted ten strategies such as targeting outreach to vulnerable communities and under-served employees; updating guidance on discrimination laws; and measuring the impact in these communities by monitoring progress through the use of analytical data and metrics.

Finally, the third goal is to strive for organizational excellence through its people, practices, and technology. This is an initiative focusing internally through diversity, equity, and inclusion programs for EEOC employees.

For best practices, employers should review the EEOC’s Strategic Plan to understand its goals and priorities related to equal employment opportunities. Then, make any necessary adjustments to your hiring, employment practices and workplace policies to align with the EEOC’s guidelines. Regular training, diversity and inclusion initiatives, fair recruitment, and addressing any potential disparities are ways to respond effectively to this plan. It is also important to stay informed about updates and changes to the plan over time.

Ree Harper, Esq.

VP Human Resources and General Counsel

Lyons HR