Government Shutdown Update: EEOC Closed | Chicago Employee Benefits

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that it is closed because of the federal government shutdown. During this period of federal closure, a limited number of EEOC services are available. Staff will not be available to answer questions from the public or to respond to correspondence from the public. The EEOC will accept charges that must be filed in order to preserve the rights of a claimant during a shutdown; however, these charges will not be investigated. The EEOC will not litigate in the federal courts, no Freedom of Information Act requests will be processed, and the following will be cancelled:

  • Mediations.
  • Federal sector hearings.
  • Decisions on federal employees’ appeals of discrimination complaints.
  • Outreach and education events.

Moreover, all EEOC digital portals will be closed and will not be accessible to the public. It is unclear how the shutdown will impact the opening date for the 2018 EEO-1 filing website; however, experts anticipate a delay in its availability and that the expected March 31, 2019, deadline for 2018 EEO-1 filings will be extended. ThinkHR will continue to monitor EEOC announcements that affect employers.

Read the announcement and contingency plan

Originally posted on ThinkHR.com

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