PD_EEOC_Chairman-and-Commissioner

Position Description

CHAIRMAN AND COMMISSIONER, EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION

Overview

Senate Committee

Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

Agency Mission

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is an independent, bipartisan commission with the mission to stop and remedy unlawful employment discrimination.¹ _{https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/index.cfm}

Position Overview

The EEOC works to eliminate discrimination based on race, color, disability, religion, sex, national origin, or age in the hiring, promoting, firing, setting wages, testing, training and all other terms and conditions of employment.² _{https://lo.bvdep.com/OrgChart.asp?curp=1&LDIBookId=19&LDISectio
Id=201&LDIOrgId=154870}

Compensation

Level IV $155,500 (5 U.S.C. § 5315)³ _{The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 115-31, May 5, 2017), contains a provision that continues the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials at 2013 levels during calendar year 2017.}

Position Reports to

The EEOC is an independent agency. Board members are presidentially appointed members requiring Senate confirmation.

Responsibilities

Management Scope

In fiscal 2016, EEOC had an enacted budget of $364.5 million⁴ and the agency had 2,202 employees.⁵ _{https://lo.bvdep.com/OrgDocument.asp?OrgId=-1&LDIBookId=19&LDIOrgId=154870&LDISecId=201&FromRecent=0&Save=1&Position=-1#O154870 https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/plan/budgetandstaffing.cfm}
At the close of each fiscal year, the commission must report to Congress and the president about the action it has taken and the moneys it has disbursed. EEOC may make further reports on the cause of and means of eliminating discrimination and such recommendations for further legislation. (42 U.S.C. § 2000eu20134)

Primary Responsibilities

® Oversees all compliance and enforcement activities relating to equal employment opportunity among federal employees⁶ _{https://lo.bvdep.com/OrgDocument.asp?OrgId=-1&LDIBookId=19&LDIOrgId=154870&LDISecId=201&FromRecent=0&Save=1&Position=-1#O154870}
® The chair recommends policies, procedures and programs to the commission
® The chair is responsible for the financial management and organizational development of the commission⁷ _OPM
® The chair is responsible for the implementation of commission policy and the administration of the commission including the appointment of: officers, agents, attorneys, hearing examiners and employees of the commission to assist the commission in the achievement of its mission and the performance of its functions⁸ _OPM
® The vice chair and the commissioners participate equally in the development and approval of commission policies, issue charges of discrimination where appropriate and authorize the filing of suits⁹ _{https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/commission.cfm}

Strategic Goals and Priorities

[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration]

Requirements and Competencies

Requirements

® The commission is comprised of five presidentially appointed members including the chair, vice chair and three commissioners
® Members of the commission are appointed for a term of five years
® Any individual chosen to fill a vacancy shall be appointed only for the unexpired term of the member whom he or she is succeeding and all members of the commission continue to serve until their successors are appointed and qualified
® No member of the commission shall continue to serve for more than sixty days when Congress is in session unless a nomination to fill such vacancy was submitted to the Senate or after the adjournment sine die of the session of the Senate in which the nomination was submitted (42 U.S.C. § 2000eu20134)
® High degree of demonstrated experience as a legal practitioner
® Senior level leadership (preferred)
® Understanding of congressional and legislative process (plus)
® Understanding of Title VII of the Civil Rights Reform Act and associated amendments
® Understanding of core services, programs and initiatives delivered by the agency’s key offices

Competencies

® Ability to build collaborative relationships with EEO, Human Resources and Diversity Professionals
® Strong interpersonal and communication skills
® Ability to work under high pressure
® Ability to handle sensitive matters
® Ability to establish positive relationships with external stakeholders
® Ability to forge strong congressional relationships
® Demonstrated ability to resolve conflicts within an organization
® Ability to set strategic vision for an organization
® Ability to lead change and people
® Energy for frequent amount of travel
® Excellent negotiation skills

Past Appointees

Jenny R. Yang (2013 to 2017): Partner, Cohen, Milstein, Sellers & Toll PLLC¹⁰; Senior Trial Attorney, Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Employment Litigation Section; Attorney, National Employment Law Project¹¹ _{https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/5-13-13.cfm https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/yang.cfm}
Naomi Churchill Earp (2006 to 2009): Director of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity, National Institute of Health; Director, Office of Advocacy and Enterprise, Department of Agriculture¹² _{https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/08/20060829-3.html}
Chai R. Feldblum (2010 to 2017): Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center; Co-Director of Workplace Flexibility 2010; Legislative Counsel, AIDS Project of the American Civil Liberties Union¹³; Clerk for Judge Frank Coffin of the First Circuit Court of Appeals and for Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun¹⁴ _{https://www.acus.gov/contacts/chai-r-feldblum-0 https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/feldblum.cfm}
The Partnership’s Center for Presidential Transition helps ensure the efficient transfer of power that our country deserves. The Center’s Ready to Govern· initiative assists candidates with the transition, works with Congress to reform the transition process, develops management recommendations to address our government’s operational challenges, and trains new political appointees.