EEOC meeting offers few details on changes

June 24, 2005

TIMES STAFF

From FederalTimes.com:

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission offered few details of how it plans to downgrade eight district offices into field offices and turn some supervisors into front-line workers at a June 23 public meeting to discuss the reorganization. The lack of details drew heated criticism from many in attendance, who included many union members and other interest groups.

Nick Inzeo, the EEOC?s director of field programs, said the agency will save $4.8 million in payroll costs over eight years by turning some supervisors into front-line workers. And James Lee, deputy general counsel, said the agency will not adjust its total staffing of about 2,400 people, although some offices will grow and some will shrink, depending on workloads.

Many attending the meeting fumed over the lack of more details about the commission's restructuring plans, which are to take effect Oct. 1.

EEOC officials said they are trying to minimize the impact on employees by not closing any offices or laying off people as requested by labor unions.

EEOC Chairwoman Cari Dominguez said the agency will review all the comments and concerns and "will make changes to the plan as appropriate" before July 8 when the commission is scheduled to vote on the proposal, which she presented to commissioners May 6. The agency originally planned to vote on the proposal May 16 but had to postpone it after complaints that the public had little time to review the plan.