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Litigation

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) conducts litigation on behalf of the EEOC to obtain relief for victims of employment discrimination and to ensure compliance with the statutes that EEOC is charged with enforcing. The EEOC has the authority to sue nongovernmental employers for violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA).  The EEOC's suit authority under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Equal Pay Act (EPA) includes state and local governmental employers as well as private employers. Title VII, the ADA, GINA, and the ADEA also cover labor organizations, joint labor-management committees, and employment agencies, and the EPA prohibits labor organizations from attempting to cause an employer to violate the statute.

OGC is headed by the General Counsel, who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for a 4-year term.  The General Counsel is responsible for managing, coordinating, and directing the EEOC's enforcement litigation program. He or she also provides overall guidance and management to all the components of OGC, including district office legal units. 

District office legal units conduct EEOC trial litigation in the geographic areas covered by the respective offices and provide legal advice and other support to district staff responsible for investigating charges of discrimination. In addition to the district office itself, OGC trial attorneys are stationed in most of the other offices - field, area, and local - within districts.  Legal units are under the direction of regional attorneys.  

Appellate Services is responsible for conducting all appellate litigation where the EEOC is a party. Appellate also frequently participates as amicus curiae, as approved by the Commission. Appellate represents the EEOC in the United States Supreme Court through the Department of Justice's Office of the Solicitor General.  Briefs filed by Appellate are available and may be searched on this website.

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