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The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was established by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and began operations on July 2, 1965.
Answer: True
Explanation: The EEOC was indeed established by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and commenced operations on July 2, 1965, as a federal agency dedicated to enforcing civil rights laws prohibiting workplace discrimination.
The EEOC's headquarters is located in New York City, not Washington, D.C.
Answer: False
Explanation: The headquarters of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is located at 131 M Street, NE, Washington, DC 20507, not in New York City.
According to fiscal year 2021 data, the EEOC had approximately 3,000 employees working to combat workplace discrimination.
Answer: False
Explanation: Fiscal year 2021 data indicates that the EEOC had approximately 2,068 employees, not 3,000, dedicated to its mission of combating workplace discrimination.
The Office of General Counsel at the EEOC is led by an appointee of the President, confirmed by the Senate for a four-year term.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Office of General Counsel, a critical component of the EEOC's enforcement arm, is indeed led by an individual appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for a four-year term, underscoring its significant federal role.
The EEOC commission is composed of five members, appointed by the President with Senate consent, serving five-year terms.
Answer: True
Explanation: The EEOC commission is structured with five members, each appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for five-year terms, ensuring a consistent leadership framework for the agency.
No more than three members of the EEOC commission may belong to the same political party to ensure political balance.
Answer: True
Explanation: To maintain political impartiality and foster bipartisan decision-making, the EEOC commission is mandated to have no more than three members from the same political party, ensuring a balanced representation.
Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. was the first General Counsel of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Answer: False
Explanation: Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. served as the first *chair* of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, not the first General Counsel. David Lopez, for example, served as General Counsel from 2010 to 2016.
Andrea R. Lucas is the current Acting Chair of the EEOC as of early 2025, with her term set to expire in 2030.
Answer: True
Explanation: As of early 2025, Andrea R. Lucas serves as the Acting Chair of the EEOC, having assumed the role on January 27, 2025, with her commissioner term scheduled to conclude on July 1, 2030.
What is the primary function of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)?
Answer: To administer and enforce civil rights laws prohibiting workplace discrimination.
Explanation: The primary function of the EEOC is to administer and enforce federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in the workplace, ensuring equitable employment opportunities for all individuals.
On what date was the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission officially established?
Answer: July 2, 1965
Explanation: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was officially established and began its operations on July 2, 1965, following its creation by the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
How many members compose the EEOC commission?
Answer: Five
Explanation: The EEOC commission is composed of five members, each appointed by the President with the consent of the Senate, forming the agency's governing body.
Who was the first chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission?
Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr.
Explanation: Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. holds the distinction of being the first chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, serving in that capacity from May 1965 to May 1966 under President Lyndon Johnson.
What is the maximum number of commissioners who may belong to the same political party on the EEOC commission?
Answer: Three
Explanation: To ensure political balance and foster bipartisan cooperation, the EEOC commission is structured such that no more than three of its five members may belong to the same political party.
What is the address of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission headquarters?
Answer: 131 M Street, NE, Washington, DC 20507
Explanation: The headquarters of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is precisely located at 131 M Street, NE, Washington, DC 20507, serving as the central administrative hub for the agency.
Discrimination complaints investigated by the EEOC can be based on employment actions such as hiring, firing, promotions, harassment, training, wages, and benefits.
Answer: True
Explanation: The EEOC's investigative scope covers a wide array of employment actions, including decisions related to hiring, firing, promotions, as well as issues concerning harassment, training, wages, and benefits, ensuring comprehensive protection against discrimination.
The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, and genetic information.
Answer: True
Explanation: The EEOC's mandate includes investigating discrimination complaints based on a comprehensive list of protected characteristics, such as race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, and genetic information, along with retaliation.
The EEOC is responsible for enforcing only Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Answer: False
Explanation: The EEOC's enforcement responsibilities extend beyond Title VII and the Americans with Disabilities Act to include a range of other federal statutes, such as the Equal Pay Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, among others.
The EEOC requires employers to report racial/ethnic categories in EEO-1 reports, and if an employee identifies as 'Hispanic or Latino' and also a race, the race is reported in EEO-1.
Answer: False
Explanation: While the EEOC requires employers to report racial/ethnic categories in EEO-1 reports, if an employee identifies as 'Hispanic or Latino' and also a race, the race is *not* reported in EEO-1, though it is maintained in the employment record, following OMB's 1997 revisions.
The EEOC has the authority to investigate and prosecute cases against organizations employing 10 workers or more for all types of discrimination.
Answer: False
Explanation: The EEOC's jurisdiction generally applies to organizations employing 15 workers or more, not 10. Furthermore, for age discrimination cases, the threshold is 20 or more workers, indicating specific jurisdictional limits.
Which of the following is NOT a ground on which the EEOC investigates discrimination complaints?
Answer: Political affiliation
Explanation: The EEOC investigates discrimination based on protected characteristics such as race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including sexual orientation), age, disability, and genetic information. Political affiliation is not explicitly listed as a ground for investigation under the federal laws enforced by the EEOC.
What is the minimum number of employees an organization must have for the EEOC to investigate most discrimination cases?
Answer: 15 workers
Explanation: For most discrimination cases, the EEOC has jurisdiction over organizations employing 15 workers or more. A higher threshold of 20 or more workers applies specifically to age discrimination cases.
Which federal act is NOT explicitly listed as one that the EEOC is responsible for enforcing?
Answer: The Family and Medical Leave Act
Explanation: The EEOC enforces a comprehensive list of federal anti-discrimination statutes, including the Equal Pay Act, Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor, not the EEOC.
A 'commissioner's charge' allows the EEOC to initiate investigations into potential discrimination even if an individual has not formally filed a complaint.
Answer: True
Explanation: A 'commissioner's charge' is a unique mechanism enabling the EEOC to proactively initiate investigations into potential discrimination, particularly systemic issues, without requiring an individual complainant to formally file a charge.
An EEOC investigation remains confidential until the charge is officially filed, after which the employer is notified within 10 days.
Answer: True
Explanation: Confidentiality is maintained during the initial stages of an EEOC investigation. Once a charge is formally filed, the employer is then notified within a 10-day period, initiating the formal investigative process.
Mediation is always offered by the EEOC, regardless of whether the agency finds merit in the charge.
Answer: False
Explanation: Mediation is a voluntary alternative dispute resolution method offered by the EEOC, but it is not universally available. It is not offered or allowed if the agency determines that the charge lacks merit.
The average mediation process with the EEOC typically takes about one year to complete.
Answer: False
Explanation: The average mediation process with the EEOC is designed for relatively swift resolution, typically concluding within approximately three months, significantly less than one year.
Employers have 60 days to respond to allegations after receiving a charge from the EEOC.
Answer: False
Explanation: Employers are typically given 30 days, not 60, from the receipt of a charge to respond to the allegations, either before an investigation or mediation, or if voluntary mediation was unsuccessful.
EEOC investigations typically take 10 months or longer to complete.
Answer: True
Explanation: EEOC investigations are often complex and thorough, with the agency indicating that they typically require 10 months or more to reach completion.
In 2020, EEOC mediations recovered nearly half of the $333.2 million in relief obtained from mediation, conciliation, and settlement efforts.
Answer: True
Explanation: In fiscal year 2020, EEOC mediations proved highly effective, recovering nearly half of the total $333.2 million in relief secured through various alternative dispute resolution efforts, underscoring the value of mediation.
What is a 'commissioner's charge' in the EEOC's enforcement process?
Answer: A charge issued by the EEOC commissioner without a direct complainant.
Explanation: A 'commissioner's charge' is a unique mechanism that allows an EEOC commissioner to initiate an investigation into potential discrimination, particularly systemic issues, even in the absence of a formal complaint from an individual.
How long does the EEOC have to notify an employer after a discrimination charge is officially filed?
Answer: 10 days
Explanation: After a discrimination charge is officially filed with the EEOC, the agency is required to notify the employer of the charge within 10 days, initiating their formal involvement in the investigative process.
Under what condition will the EEOC NOT offer or allow a request for mediation?
Answer: If the EEOC does not find merit in the charge.
Explanation: The EEOC will not offer or permit a request for mediation if it determines that the discrimination charge lacks merit, as mediation is typically reserved for cases where there is a reasonable basis for the complaint.
Approximately how long does an average mediation process with the EEOC typically take?
Answer: Three months
Explanation: The average mediation process facilitated by the EEOC is designed for efficiency, typically concluding within approximately three months, offering a relatively swift resolution pathway for discrimination disputes.
The EEOC has the authority to adjudicate claims and impose administrative sanctions directly on employers found guilty of discrimination.
Answer: False
Explanation: While the EEOC can mediate and file civil suits, it lacks the authority to adjudicate claims or directly impose administrative sanctions on employers. Its role is primarily investigative and prosecutorial, not judicial.
In fiscal year 2020, the EEOC found that over 50% of the charged cases it investigated had merit.
Answer: False
Explanation: In fiscal year 2020, the EEOC determined that 17.4% of the charged cases it investigated had merit, which is significantly less than 50%.
A 'right to sue' notice is required for all discrimination charges filed with the EEOC, including those under the Equal Pay Act.
Answer: False
Explanation: Not all discrimination charges require a 'right to sue' notice from the EEOC. Specifically, charges filed under the Equal Pay Act or the Age Discrimination in Employment Act do not necessitate such a notice before a lawsuit can be initiated.
The EEOC defines systemic cases as those where discrimination has a broad impact on an industry, profession, company, or geographic location.
Answer: True
Explanation: The EEOC's definition of systemic cases emphasizes their broad impact, encompassing 'pattern or practice, policy and/or class cases' where discrimination affects an entire industry, profession, company, or geographic area, reflecting a focus on widespread issues.
Age-based discrimination and gender-based wage discrimination cases are eligible for compensatory and punitive damages.
Answer: False
Explanation: Age-based discrimination and gender-based wage discrimination cases are subject to specific limitations regarding damages. They are not eligible for compensatory or punitive damages but are instead limited to liquidated damages equivalent to the amount of back pay.
In fiscal year 2020, the EEOC secured a record amount of recovery, exceeding $535 million, for victims of workplace discrimination.
Answer: True
Explanation: Fiscal year 2020 marked a significant achievement for the EEOC, as it successfully secured a record recovery exceeding $535 million for individuals who had experienced workplace discrimination.
The EEOC's primary goal when discrimination is found is to impose punitive damages on the discriminatory party.
Answer: False
Explanation: The EEOC's primary objective when discrimination is identified is to achieve injunctive relief, which focuses on restoring the victim to their rightful position and preventing future discriminatory practices, rather than solely imposing punitive damages.
If a respondent is uncooperative during an investigation, the EEOC may subpoena information or file a direct lawsuit.
Answer: True
Explanation: In instances where a respondent is uncooperative during an investigation, the EEOC has several enforcement tools, including the authority to subpoena requested information or, if necessary, file a direct lawsuit on the merits of the charge.
The largest verdict in the EEOC's history was $240 million against Hill County Farms in 2013 for disability discrimination.
Answer: True
Explanation: The $240 million verdict awarded against Hill County Farms in 2013 for severe disability discrimination stands as the largest in the EEOC's history, highlighting a significant enforcement action.
What percentage of charged cases did the EEOC find to have merit in fiscal year 2020?
Answer: 17.4%
Explanation: In fiscal year 2020, the EEOC determined that 17.4% of the charged cases it investigated possessed sufficient merit to indicate a reasonable cause to believe discrimination had occurred.
Which of the following charges does NOT require a 'right to sue' notice from the EEOC before filing a lawsuit?
Answer: Equal Pay Act
Explanation: Charges filed under the Equal Pay Act, unlike those under Title VII, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, or the Americans with Disabilities Act, do not require a 'right to sue' notice from the EEOC before a claimant can initiate a lawsuit.
What is the primary goal of the remedies sought by the EEOC when discrimination is found?
Answer: To secure injunctive relief, restoring the victim and preventing future discrimination.
Explanation: The EEOC's paramount objective in seeking remedies for discrimination is injunctive relief, which aims to fully restore the victim to their pre-discrimination status and to implement measures that effectively halt and prevent any recurrence of discriminatory behavior.
What was a significant financial achievement for the EEOC in fiscal year 2020?
Answer: Securing a record recovery exceeding $535 million for victims of discrimination.
Explanation: In fiscal year 2020, the EEOC achieved a significant financial milestone by securing a record recovery of over $535 million for victims of workplace discrimination, demonstrating its effectiveness in obtaining monetary relief.
What type of damages are age-based discrimination and gender-based wage discrimination cases limited to?
Answer: Liquidated damages equal to the amount of back pay
Explanation: Cases involving age-based discrimination and gender-based wage discrimination are specifically limited in the types of damages they can receive, typically to liquidated damages that are equivalent to the amount of back pay, rather than broader compensatory or punitive damages.
What was the total relief recovered through EEOC litigation in fiscal year 2020?
Answer: $106 million
Explanation: In fiscal year 2020, the EEOC successfully recovered $106 million in relief specifically through its litigation efforts, which included 93 meritorious lawsuits, demonstrating the financial impact of its direct legal actions.
What legal principle might the EEOC use if a respondent is uncooperative in providing information during an investigation?
Answer: Adverse inference
Explanation: If a respondent fails to cooperate by providing requested information during an investigation, the EEOC may invoke the legal principle of adverse inference, which allows the agency to assume that the withheld information would have been unfavorable to the respondent's position.
The precursor to the EEOC was the Fair Employment Practice Committee (FEPC), established in 1941 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Fair Employment Practice Committee (FEPC), established in 1941 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Executive Order 8802, served as a significant precursor to the EEOC, aiming to prevent discrimination in defense industries and government.
President John F. Kennedy's Executive Order 10925 established the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity, which was a forerunner of the EEOC.
Answer: True
Explanation: President John F. Kennedy's Executive Order 10925, signed in 1961, created the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity, a crucial forerunner to the EEOC, by mandating affirmative action for government contractors.
Initially, the EEOC actively enforced prohibitions against sex discrimination immediately after its establishment in 1965.
Answer: False
Explanation: Contrary to active enforcement, the EEOC initially largely overlooked sex discrimination complaints, and the prohibition against sex discrimination in employment remained unenforced for several years after the agency's establishment.
The Systemic Task Force (STF) was established in 2005 to evaluate how the EEOC combats systemic discrimination.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Systemic Task Force (STF) was indeed established by the EEOC in 2005 with the specific mandate to assess and enhance the agency's strategies for combating systemic discrimination, focusing on widespread discriminatory practices.
In 2015, the Supreme Court ruled in *EEOC v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores* that an employer can refuse to hire an applicant to avoid accommodating a religious practice.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Supreme Court's 2015 ruling in *EEOC v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores* affirmed the opposite: an employer cannot refuse to hire an applicant if the motivation is to avoid accommodating a religious practice, reinforcing protections against religious discrimination.
The EEOC expanded its protection under Title VII to include discrimination based on sexual orientation by 2015, a position later upheld by the Supreme Court.
Answer: True
Explanation: The EEOC progressively expanded its interpretation of Title VII to include protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation by 2015, a stance that was subsequently affirmed by a landmark Supreme Court decision in 2020.
In February 2025, the EEOC, under the Trump administration, moved to dismiss several pending cases alleging gender identity discrimination.
Answer: True
Explanation: In February 2025, under the Trump administration, the EEOC indeed moved to dismiss six of its own pending cases concerning gender identity discrimination, citing a relevant executive order that defined sex as binary.
By 2008, the EEOC had experienced a 25 percent increase in staff over the preceding eight years, while complaints decreased.
Answer: False
Explanation: By 2008, the EEOC had actually experienced a 25 percent *reduction* in staff over the preceding eight years, while the number of complaints to investigate simultaneously *increased* by 26 percent from 2006, indicating a significant resource strain.
The 1980 EEOC lawsuit against Sears, Roebuck & Co. resulted in a court ruling in favor of the EEOC, finding systematic discrimination against women.
Answer: False
Explanation: The 1980 EEOC lawsuit against Sears, Roebuck & Co. did not result in a ruling in favor of the EEOC. Instead, the court ruled in favor of Sears on all counts in 1986, noting the EEOC's failure to produce witnesses or identify specific discriminatory policies.
Judge Loretta A. Preska criticized the EEOC in 2011 for relying too heavily on hard data rather than anecdotal claims in a discrimination lawsuit.
Answer: False
Explanation: In her 2011 ruling against Bloomberg L.P., Judge Loretta A. Preska criticized the EEOC for relying too heavily on *anecdotal claims* rather than robust *hard data* in its discrimination lawsuit, emphasizing the need for empirical evidence.
During the first Trump administration, the EEOC faced criticism for being ineffective due to significant budget cuts and staff downsizing.
Answer: True
Explanation: The EEOC faced considerable criticism during the first Trump administration, with its perceived ineffectiveness largely attributed to substantial budget cuts and a significant downsizing of its staff, which impacted its operational capacity.
What was the precursor to the EEOC, established in 1941 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt?
Answer: The Fair Employment Practice Committee (FEPC)
Explanation: The Fair Employment Practice Committee (FEPC), established in 1941 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Executive Order 8802, served as the direct precursor to the EEOC, laying early groundwork for federal anti-discrimination efforts.
What was the initial response of the EEOC to sex discrimination complaints after its establishment?
Answer: It largely ignored them for several years.
Explanation: Upon its establishment, the EEOC's initial response to sex discrimination complaints was characterized by a lack of enforcement, with the prohibition against such discrimination largely ignored for several years.
When was the Systemic Task Force (STF) established by the EEOC to evaluate its approach to combating systemic discrimination?
Answer: 2005
Explanation: The Systemic Task Force (STF) was formally established by the EEOC in 2005, specifically tasked with evaluating and enhancing the agency's strategies for effectively combating widespread, systemic forms of discrimination.
Which Supreme Court decision affirmed that an employer cannot refuse to hire an applicant to avoid accommodating a religious practice?
Answer: *EEOC v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores*
Explanation: The Supreme Court's 2015 decision in *EEOC v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores* definitively ruled that employers are prohibited from refusing to hire an applicant if the underlying motivation is to avoid accommodating a religious practice, thereby upholding religious freedom in employment.
What action did the EEOC take in February 2025 regarding gender identity discrimination cases under the Trump Administration?
Answer: Moved to dismiss six of its own pending cases alleging gender identity discrimination.
Explanation: In February 2025, under the Trump Administration, the EEOC took the action of moving to dismiss six of its own pending cases that alleged gender identity discrimination, aligning with a presidential executive order defining sex as binary.
By 2008, what was the approximate increase in the number of complaints to investigate at the EEOC compared to 2006?
Answer: 26 percent
Explanation: By fiscal year 2008, the EEOC experienced a substantial 26 percent increase in the number of complaints requiring investigation compared to 2006, reaching 95,400, while simultaneously facing staff reductions.
What was the outcome of the 1980 EEOC lawsuit against Sears, Roebuck & Co.?
Answer: The court ruled in favor of Sears on all counts.
Explanation: In the 1980 EEOC lawsuit against Sears, Roebuck & Co., the court ultimately ruled in favor of Sears on all allegations in 1986, citing the EEOC's inability to present witnesses or specific discriminatory policies.
Who signed Executive Order 10925 in 1961, establishing the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity?
Answer: President John F. Kennedy
Explanation: President John F. Kennedy signed Executive Order 10925 in 1961, which established the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity, a pivotal step in the federal government's efforts to combat employment discrimination.
In 2012, the EEOC achieved a significant reduction in its private sector charge inventory to what level?
Answer: 70,312
Explanation: In 2012, the EEOC successfully reduced its private sector charge inventory to 70,312, marking a 10 percent decrease from the previous fiscal year and representing the lowest inventory level since fiscal year 2002.
What was a criticism leveled against the EEOC by civil rights and labor union advocates in June 2006?
Answer: Its effectiveness was undermined by budget and staff cuts and outsourcing of complaint screening.
Explanation: In June 2006, civil rights and labor union advocates criticized the EEOC, asserting that its effectiveness was significantly hampered by budget and staff reductions, coupled with the outsourcing of complaint screening to inadequately trained private contractors.