Tubbs Jones Comments on GAO Report on EEOC Restructuring Proposal

Washington, D.C. - Today, The General Accounting Office (GAO) released its report on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) restructuring proposal. GAO contends the commission should reexamine its proposal with greater attention focused towards its cost and potential impact. Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones released this statement:

"This report only verifies the stance that my constituents and the many EEOC investigators, mediators, examiners, administrative judges, attorneys and other employees across the nation have been voicing for well over the past year; that this plan is too rushed and doesn't allow sufficient consultation with the many stakeholders of EEOC.

"GAO asserts that EEOC has 'no organized approach' to fully consider the recommendations from which the restructuring was based - a study commissioned by the National Academy of Public Administration. In the words of GAO, 'without such an approach, EEOC lacks assurance that each recommendation has been fully considered. As a result, EEOC may miss an opportunity to fully benefit from NAPA's work, become more efficient and effective, and further improve its ability to enforce the nation's civil rights laws.'

"It is disappointing to learn that the EEOC has already rebuked these findings and has chosen not to take a more considerate approach toward implementing a plan that would look out for the best interests of their own workers, not to mention the many constituents they serve.

"I have been concerned with this plan since its inception. EEOC's repositioning calls for downgrading 1/3 of its 23 of its district offices, including the Cleveland District Office. I was pleased that the commission recently modified its proposal to allow the Cleveland office to retain jurisdiction over much of the Columbus region, where much of its work comes from. Yet, I still fail to comprehend the logic of downgrading an office, which has won numerous awards for its service and not allowing it to retain its contract with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, with which it has collaborated with so well. I am also concerned about the gerrymandering that seems to have been implemented in altering the jurisdictions of offices in Baltimore, Detroit, Denver and other regions nationwide.

"I am grateful to the committee leaders of both parties in Congress who initiated this study and who have sought fairness regarding EEOC's restructuring. I hope my colleagues will join me in calling on the commission to revisit and revise its restructuring measures to ensure EEOC retains a skilled workforce with the capacity to carry out its mission."

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