EEOC Asks Public for Advice on How It Should Return to Office

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is seeking public input on how it should reopen its offices and resume in-person interactions with workers and employers.

The workplace civil rights agency wants to know how to “effectively serve members of the public while ensuring that they and our staff remain safe,” while encouraging participation, according to a Thursday agency statement.

The EEOC has been a leading authority for interpreting complex workplace legal questions for employees and employers during the pandemic. It has more than 50 field offices across the U.S. where workers can file their allegations of discrimination, also known as a charge, in person. Workers must file their allegations with the EEOC before suing an employer for discrimination or retaliation in federal court.

Agency staff has been working “almost entirely through telework” since March 2020, the statement said, due to the coronavirus pandemic. The EEOC halted in-person filings of charges last year.

The agency is specifically interested in learning how members of the public interact with agency staff, which interactions were helped by going digital, whether certain groups of workers and employers don’t have internet access, and other questions pertaining to in-person interactions.

The public comment period is open through July 29.

“We welcome comment on any of the above topics or any other matters relating to EEOC staff members’ return to our offices,” the agency said.