Bill Overview
Title: EEOC Transparency and Accountability Act
Description: This bill provides statutory authority for the requirement that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) vote on whether to commence, intervene, or otherwise participate in certain types of litigation, including cases involving issues in which the commission has taken a position that is contrary to the corresponding judicial precedent. (The EEOC adopted a similar resolution in January 2021.) The commission must post information relating to such cases and associated votes on its website.
Sponsors: Rep. Walberg, Tim [R-MI-7]
Target Audience
Population: Job Applicants and Employees worldwide
Estimated Size: 161000000
- The EEOC is the agency responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.
- Based on its mandate, any individuals who are employed or seeking employment in the United States are potentially impacted by this bill, as it addresses how the EEOC proceeds with litigation.
- The bill specifically impacts how the EEOC votes on litigation participation, so any groups with pending or future cases in front of the EEOC will be directly affected.
- Employment discrimination is a global issue, but the EEOC operates only within the United States, so international populations are indirectly impacted only by the precedent set in U.S. cases.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily impacts individuals directly involved with EEOC cases or those who may become involved due to discrimination claims in their employment.
- Not everyone in the workforce will feel the effects directly, but an improvement in EEOC transparency might offer a sense of increased accountability which could indirectly enhance job security and workplace morale.
- A segment of people actively in litigation or considering litigation due to workplace discrimination may feel a greater impact due to changes in how the EEOC participates in litigation.
- Since the budget is limited, the policy might not create broad-based systemic changes quickly but can still start influencing cultural and procedural shifts regarding how discrimination cases are perceived and handled.
Simulated Interviews
HR Manager (Chicago, IL)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think this policy will make the process more transparent, which is good for compliance efforts.
- It might encourage organizations to be more proactive about inclusion and diversity to avoid even potential cases becoming public knowledge.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Construction Worker (Dallas, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I haven't really trusted the system to help me when things got tough before, but maybe this will help change that.
- Knowing outcomes of past decisions publicly could deter discrimination in the first place.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Employment Lawyer (New York, NY)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy will likely improve the accountability of the EEOC.
- Having more transparency might help lawyers better guide their clients through discrimination claims.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Software Engineer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 52 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's encouraging to know that discrimination issues will have more emphasis and public exposure.
- I would feel more secure in a workplace that proactively minimizes risks of being highlighted in EEOC cases.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Retail Store Manager (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 31 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The improvement in transparency could help address systemic racism in employment more proactively.
- With the right approach from the EEOC, it might actually get easier for individuals to feel protected against discrimination.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Teacher (Miami, FL)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this will lead to a reduction in workplace discrimination over time.
- Feeling protected and knowing information is on their side can be empowering for workers.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Retired (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 58 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It may be too late to help people in my situation, but it’s encouraging for future generations.
- Veterans often face discrimination, so this policy might help them.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Software Developer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 27 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might help employees like me feel less invisible in cases of discrimination.
- Having more accountability in employment law enforcement is essential for change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
College Student (New Orleans, LA)
Age: 21 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Knowing the EEOC is more transparent is reassuring as I enter the job market.
- Policies like this one might encourage employers to think twice about discriminatory practices.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Entrepreneur (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 49 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy might make business owners more cautious and inclined to follow the law strictly.
- For small businesses, long and public legal battles can be detrimental, so clarity is appreciated.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $2000000 (Low: $1000000, High: $5000000)
Year 2: $2000000 (Low: $1000000, High: $5000000)
Year 3: $2000000 (Low: $1000000, High: $5000000)
Year 5: $2000000 (Low: $1000000, High: $5000000)
Year 10: $2000000 (Low: $1000000, High: $5000000)
Year 100: $2000000 (Low: $1000000, High: $5000000)
Key Considerations
- Ensuring transparency and accountability within the EEOC may bolster public confidence in the fairness of employment litigation processes.
- The act mandates additional administrative processes which could require additional budgeting and resource allocation.
- Long-term savings could offset some initial costs if the transparency leads to more efficient handling of cases.