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WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today released a comprehensive policy guidance entitled Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The guidance addresses the duty of employers to provide "reasonable accommodations" to applicants and employees with disabilities under Title I of the ADA. The Commission also released a shorter version of the guidance entitled Small Employers and Reasonable Accommodation.

"This

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Tanimura & Antle, one of the largest lettuce growers/distributors in the United States, announced today that they reached a $1,855,000 voluntary settlement, approved by U.S. District Court Judge James Ware in San Jose, California. The settlement through a Consent Decree avoids protracted litigation by the EEOC on behalf of two employees and a class of current and former Tanimura & Antle employees who

*** New Initiative Endorsed By Agency Stakeholders, Praised by Vice President Gore ***

WASHINGTON -- A new initiative launched today by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to significantly expand its voluntary mediation program won the endorsement of a broad range of agency stakeholders, including business and labor advocates, civil rights groups, and representatives of the employer and plaintiffs bar. The mediation initiative, also praised by Vice President Al Gore, was announced

WASHINGTON -- As part of the Clinton Administration's Civil Rights Initiative, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will announce the kick-off of its national mediation program on Thursday, February 11, at 11:00 a.m. at EEOC Headquarters, 1801 L Street, N.W. (First Floor Training Facility).

"What EEOC has learned is that matters resolved through voluntary mediation result in win-win outcomes for employers and employees alike," said EEOC Chairwoman Ida L. Castro. She continued

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received recommendations yesterday on how to proceed with priority initiatives to improve communications and enhance outreach to minorities, women, and the disability community. The recommendations were presented by a panel of representatives from various civil rights groups at the second Commission Meeting conducted by Chairwoman Ida L. Castro.

"As we move ahead to meet our goals for fiscal year 1999, it is extremely important

WASHINGTON -- The next meeting of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will be Tuesday, January 26, at 2:00 p.m. in the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Conference Room (9th floor), 1801 L Street, N.W. The Commission Meeting will include a panel discussion with national civil rights groups on issues affecting their constituencies.

The public is urged to attend the open session of the meeting at which the following business will be conducted

WASHINGTON -- Ida L. Castro was sworn-in on Monday, December 14, 1998, by Vice-President Al Gore as the Chairwoman of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the first Hispanic female to serve in this capacity. Ms. Castro was nominated by President Clinton on April 2 and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 21. She fills the vacancy left by Gilbert F. Casellas, who resigned as Chairman at the end of

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Chairwoman Ida L. Castro told a panel of employer representatives yesterday that the agency is implementing a major outreach initiative to increase communication, education, and technical assistance to the small and medium-sized business community. The objectives of the initiative are to bolster their access to information about the anti- discrimination laws and promote voluntary compliance.

The initiative was launched by Chairwoman Castro at the first

WASHINGTON -- Ida L. Castro was sworn-in today as the Chairwoman of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the first Hispanic female to serve in this capacity. Ms. Castro was nominated by President Clinton on April 2 and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 21. She fills the vacancy left by Gilbert F. Casellas, who resigned as Chairman at the end of 1997.

"I am extremely honored to serve the

MIAMI -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today that a federal judge has ordered Joe's Stone Crab, Inc. (Joe's) to institute mandatory recruiting and hiring procedures to remedy past discrimination against women who applied for jobs as food servers, and to ensure fair hiring practices in the future. Yesterday's ruling by Federal District Court Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley concludes the damages phase of EEOC's sex discrimination lawsuit against the

* * * Enforcement Statistics to be Posted on Web Site * * *

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today that the agency's pending inventory of discrimination charges has been sliced nearly in half, down from approximately 111,000 charges in fiscal year (FY) 1995 to 57,871 at the close of the third quarter (June 30) of FY 1998. The latest enforcement statistics also show the number of charges

NORMAL AND CHICAGO, ILL. -- Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America, Inc. (MMMA) and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today that they have reached a $34 million settlement, subject to court approval, that resolves all claims in the lawsuit filed on April 9, 1996, by the EEOC on behalf of a class of current and former MMMA employees who were subjected to an alleged pattern and practice of sexual

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today that it is publishing a final legislative regulation governing waivers of rights and claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA). The regulations will appear in the Federal Register on Friday, June 5, 1998, and will be effective 30 days after publication.

Under section 7 (f) of the ADEA, added by the Older Workers Benefit Protection

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today the release of comprehensive guidance on the prohibition against retaliation aimed at individuals who file charges of employment discrimination or who participate in the investigation of an EEO charge.

The Supreme Court addressed the issue of retaliation last year, in Robinson v. Shell Oil Company. The Court made it clear that employers are prohibited from retaliating against former employees as well as

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today released a task force report assessing the progress of charge processing and litigation reforms which the agency began in 1995. The agency also announced a joint training pilot initiative with the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Labor and Employment Law, Equal Employment Opportunity Committee. These developments were presented at the ABA Committee's mid-winter meeting in Silverado, Calif. The task force

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today proposed changes to its regulations governing the procedures for federal employee discrimination complaints as part of the Commission's broader efforts to improve the effectiveness of its operations. The proposed changes, published in the Federal Register as a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM), are the result of a nearly two-year process.

In signing the Notice, EEOC Chairman Paul M. Igasaki

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today a ground breaking settlement of agency litigation against Israel Discount Bank (IDB) of New York under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The lawsuit charged IDB with engaging in disability-based discrimination by offering a long term disability (LTD) policy, insured by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, that limits benefits for individuals with mental conditions

* * * Largest in Agency History * * *

BOSTON -- Astra USA Inc., a pharmaceutical firm headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, with offices throughout the United States, will pay $9,850,000 plus interest to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The Complaint and a Consent Decree signed by the parties were filed today with The United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration Related Unfair Employment Practices, U.S. Department of Justice (OSC), announce the adoption of a revised Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to reflect changes in the law and further promote the elimination of duplication in the agencies' enforcement efforts. The new MOU, which replaces the MOU adopted in 1989, was published today in the Federal Register.

WASHINGTON -- The report of a recent special Task Force examination of noteworthy equal employment opportunity policies, programs, and practices in the private sector will be discussed at the next meeting of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The meeting will be held Thursday, January 29, 1998, at 2 p.m. in the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Conference Room (9th floor), 1801 L Street, N.W.
The public is urged to attend the open

CHICAGO -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) scored a major legal victory yesterday in its class action sexual harassment lawsuit against Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America, Inc. Ruling in EEOC's favor, Federal District Court Judge Joe Billy McDade held that the agency could pursue its sexual harassment lawsuit as a class action "pattern or practice" suit. Mitsubishi had argued that a class action "pattern or practice" approach was not workable

WASHINGTON -- Continuing in its efforts of technical assistance, outreach, and education, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released the Task Force Report on "Best" Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policies, Programs, and Practices in the Private Sector. The report, which is intended to offer assistance to all employers and especially to smaller and mid-sized companies, identifies "best" EEO practices of companies around the country and describes their approaches to address workplace discrimination

WASHINGTON -- On December 16, 1997, President Clinton announced the recess appointment of Paul M. Igasaki to serve as a Commissioner and Vice Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Vice Chair Igasaki will serve as a recess appointee. He was nominated for a second term on July 31, 1997, and his nomination is currently pending before the Senate. According to the White House, the announcement "will ensure a functioning Commission with a voting

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today the release of the Enforcement Guidance on Application of EEO Laws to Contingent Workers Placed by Temporary Employment Agencies and Other Staffing Firms. The guidance clarifies how the employment discrimination statutes apply to individuals who are hired by temporary employment agencies, contract firms, and other staffing firms, but whose working conditions are controlled in whole or in part by the businesses to