The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has published its draft Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2018-2022, which is designed to replace the current five-year plan under which the agency is currently operating.

The agency’s latest proposed four-year Strategic Plan, which the EEOC and other federal agencies are required to prepare pursuant to the federal Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), as amended, improves upon the outgoing plan in several ways that will restore a better balance to the EEOC’s enforcement efforts. For example, the draft plan would:

  • Replace the current systemic litigation case quotas with the more sensible goal of reporting on agency efforts “to identify and resolve systemic discrimination”;
  • Set specific, numeric targets regarding the percentage of investigations and conciliations expected to meet agency quality standards;
  • Emphasize the importance of maintaining a balance of individual and systemic cases as part of the agency’s strategic enforcement efforts, rather than always prioritizing class-based litigation;
  • Expand education and outreach efforts to employer groups, not just employee advocacy organizations; and
  • Aim to complete transition to a fully digital discrimination charge process.  

A copy of the draft Strategic Plan is available here. The EEOC has invited public comments on the draft plan, which are due by January 8, 2018.

Members of the Center for Workplace Compliance (CWC) can read more here.