Wow!  The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission approved a new strategic plan on February 22, 2012. 

In summary, the four-year strategic plan, adopted by a 4-1 vote, will focus on efforts to stop and remedy unlawful employment discrimination as a core mission.  Commissioner Constance Barker noted that the plan’s focus will emphasize enforcement and litigation rather than education and outreach, which she believed was contrary to the EEOC’s legislative focus. 

Perhaps the most dangerous component of the new plan will be the EEOC objective to increase the number of systemic discrimination cases it handles.  These cases are focused on pattern or practice, policy, or class cases where the alleged discrimination has a broad impact on an industry.  Systemic cases are also exceedingly expensive to defend.  The EEOC will work over the next months to create the framework to “inform, justify and support the quantitative and qualitative performance measures throughout the plan.” 

Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night!

You can find the announcement at: http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/2-22-12.cfm

For more information, contact Steven M. Gutierrez.