Contact the experienced employment law attorneys at Maya Murphy, P.C. today at (203) 221-3100 or JMaya@Mayalaw.com.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC or Commission) celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The civil rights agency of the nation, the EEOC has reached its maturity through a half-century of development. This article provides a retrospective look at the EEOC and its enforcement role in developing employment discrimination law.
Background and Authority of the EEOC
On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Title VII of the Act prohibits discrimination by covered employers on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Title VII further created the EEOC, the federal agency that administers and enforces civil rights laws against workplace discrimination. The Commission is a five-member, bipartisan commission whose mission is to eliminate unlawful employment discrimination. The law provides that the Commissioners, no more than three of whom may be from the same political party, are appointed to five-year terms by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Chairman of the agency appoints the General Counsel.Link to the text of the note
Exactly one year after the 1964 Civil Rights Act was enacted, the EEOC opened its doors on July 2, 1965. The agency has the authority to investigate, issue findings, settle, and prosecute charges of discrimination against covered employers with 15 or more employees. The EEOC also works to prevent discrimination before it occurs through outreach, education, and technical assistance programs. The Commission enforces Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Equal Pay Act (EPA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Genetic Nondiscrimination Information Act (GINA).
In 2015, the EEOC is budgeted at $364,500,000, with a staff of 2,347 federal employees in Washington, D.C. and in 53 district and field offices throughout the United States.
If you feel you have been mistreated by your employer or in your place of employment and would like to explore your employment law options, contact the experienced employment law attorneys today at 203-221-3100, or by email at JMaya@mayalaw.com. We have the experience and knowledge you need at this critical juncture. We serve clients in both New York and Connecticut including New Canaan, Bridgeport, White Plains, and Darien.
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Source- Phyllis W. Cheng, The EEOC Turns 50: A Review of The Nation's Civil Rights Agency, Bender's Labor & Employment Bulletin, Nov. 1, 2015, at 03.
