WASHINGTON - By a 6-3 vote, the United States Supreme Court today ruled in EEOC v. Waffle House, Inc. (No. 99-1823) that a private arbitration agreement between an individual and that individual's employer does not prevent the EEOC from filing a court action in its own name and recovering monetary damages for the individual.  The Supreme Court reversed

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that a $6.8 million consent decree with retail giant Wal-Mart Stores was signed today by Federal District Court Judge Garland Burrell in Sacramento, Calif. The decree resolves the EEOC's lawsuit, Case No. S-99-0414-GEB DAD, which alleged that Wal-Mart's pre-employment questionnaire, "Matrix of Essential Job Functions," violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Parties to the decree also have agreed to settle 12 other ADA lawsuits

ST. LOUIS - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today filed a brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8^th Circuit opposing a tentative settlement for $12.2 million in a sex discrimination case against Rent-A-Center, Inc. in a suit pending in Kansas City, Missouri. The EEOC says the tentative settlement has obvious and significant deficiencies, and there are serious unresolved questions about whether the women who settled the case can fairly

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) yesterday heard testimony and recommendations from a variety of Arab, Muslim, Sikh, Middle Eastern, and South Asian groups on combating backlash discrimination against members of those communities in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The EEOC chose this growing issue as the topic of the Commission's first meeting of the Bush administration and the first meeting presided over by new Chair Cari M. Dominguez

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will hold a public Commission Meeting at its headquarters building on Tuesday, December 11, at 1:30 p.m. in the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Conference Room (9^th Floor), 1801 L Street, N.W. The meeting will focus on employment discrimination issues in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Following opening remarks from Commission members, three panels consisting of affected communities, employers, and EEOC officials will

WASHINGTON - The next meeting of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will be Tuesday, December 11, at 1:30 p.m. in the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Conference Room (9^th Floor), 1801 L Street, N.W. The public meeting, the first held under the leadership of EEOC Chair Cari M. Dominguez, will focus on employment discrimination in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

"This meeting will serve the public interest by engaging the

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Departments of Justice and Labor today issued a joint statement reaffirming the federal government's commitment to upholding the federal anti-discrimination laws in the aftermath of the events of September 11.  The statement, posted on the Commission's Web site (www.eeoc.gov), focuses on preventing and redressing

Since the September 11 terrorist attacks, we have seen compassion and respect for people of all faiths, races, and national and ethnic origins in workplaces throughout our country. One month after the attacks, President Bush noted with gratitude this "outpouring of compassion for people within our own country," recognizing that individuals of many religions stand side-by-side in America.

Nonetheless, we continue to receive reports of incidents of harassment, discrimination, and violence in the workplace against

WASHINGTON - Cari M. Dominguez, Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), has announced the appointment of Ann Colgrove as Director of the Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs (OCLA) at agency headquarters.

As OCLA Director, Ms. Colgrove advises the Chair and represents the Commission to members of the U.S. Congress

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today posted on its web site questions and answers to assist employers who are developing or re- evaluating emergency evacuation procedures. The full text of the document is available at www.eeoc.gov.

"In light of recent events, many employers are particularly concerned about being able to evacuate individuals who might require assistance because of a medical condition or disability," said EEOC Chair Cari