02/01/24

EEOC Launches Enhanced Outreach Initiative for Vulnerable Workers and Underserved Communities

On Jan. 29, 2024, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) launched the REACH initiative, enhancing the agency’s outreach to vulnerable workers and underserved communities. This multiyear initiative builds on the EEOC’s existing actions to ensure outreach and education efforts reach workers who are least likely to seek the agency’s assistance. EEOC Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal is leading the REACH initiative.

The REACH initiative aims to prevent and remedy unlawful employment discrimination by ensuring workers know their rights and have access to the EEOC’s services. The initiative will:

Hold in-person and virtual listening sessions with a broad range of stakeholders to examine how the EEOC can bolster its efforts to reach vulnerable and underserved communities by identifying existing barriers to reporting discrimination and soliciting recommendations on serving these populations better.
Review and evaluate existing research and recommendations on effective outreach strategies, tools and methods to inform the work of the initiative.
Identify best practices for reaching vulnerable and underserved communities and consider how to develop an increased presence in rural areas and areas far from physical EEOC office locations.
Develop recommendations to present to the EEOC chair for enhancing outreach efforts.

The REACH initiative advances the objective of the EEOC’s Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2022-26 to ensure members of the public are aware of employment discrimination laws and know their rights and responsibilities under these laws. It also furthers the agency’s Strategic Enforcement Plan for Fiscal Years 2024-28 by prioritizing protecting vulnerable workers and persons from underserved communities from employment discrimination.

“The REACH initiative will help us to identify ways to more effectively reach underserved communities—including rural areas, many Tribal nations and other communities at significant distance from the EEOC’s 53 field locations.” - EEOC Chair Charlotte B. Burrows

Employer Takeaways
Last year, the EEOC increased its enforcement efforts. The agency’s new outreach initiative is a strong indication that those efforts are likely to continue in 2024. With this increased activity, employers should prioritize compliance with federal employment laws to minimize their exposure to the EEOC’s increasing enforcement efforts. Prudent employers should continue to monitor the agency’s activities and enforcement efforts.