EEOC Indefinitely Suspends Federal Class Complaints, Lawsuit Alleges

A lawsuit filed on Tuesday by a labor union and two female prison employees alleges that the U.S. civil rights agency, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), has unlawfully halted their sexual harassment case. This action is reportedly part of a broader directive to indefinitely suspend proceedings for all federal-sector class complaints. The lawsuit asserts that the EEOC has ordered an indefinite suspension of federal-sector class complaints that are currently before the agency’s administrative judges. These judges are responsible for handling discrimination complaints filed by federal workers, operating under a process distinct from that for private sector employees. The two plaintiffs, identified as correctional officers at a federal prison in Louisiana, have a certified class complaint pending against the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Their complaint alleges that prison management failed to adequately prevent and address widespread sexual harassment perpetrated by inmates against female staff, including incidents of rape threats, unwanted touching, and exposure to nudity. Deanna Chelette and Alexzandria Boyd are the named plaintiffs in this lawsuit, and they are joined by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which is identified as the largest union representing federal workers. The specific reasons behind the EEOC's suspension directive remain unclear, and the agency had not publicly disclosed this order. It is also unknown how many other cases are affected by this suspension. When contacted for comment, the EEOC referred all inquiries to the Department of Justice, which declined to provide a statement. During the administration of President Donald Trump, the EEOC underwent significant changes to its civil rights enforcement priorities. These changes included a focus on cases aimed at combating diversity and inclusion policies, the discontinuation of cases on behalf of transgender workers, and the abandonment of established methods for investigating systemic discrimination. These shifts have led to multiple lawsuits being filed against EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas. Lucas has stated her commitment to an "even-handed" and "colorblind" approach to workplace civil rights. However, the lawsuit filing does not clarify how the order to suspend federal-sector class claims aligns with these stated priorities. Attorneys representing the plaintiffs stated in the court filing that the EEOC has provided "no reasoned explanation" for the suspension.