EEOC Working on New Anti-Harassment Guidance

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is currently working on new guidance to help analyze and decide claims involving harassment in the workplace. The new rules promise to bolster enforcement against harassers as it follows a task force finding that the issue remains a serious problem in the American workplace. The new guidance will explain the law as interpreted by courts and serve as a reference for EEOC enforcement staff and other federal officials. It is likely to be used by courts and litigants as well.

The guidance will likely deal with harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age and genetic information. There is no current timetable for its release. The EEOC recently extended the time period for comments on it March 21, 2017. A copy of the proposal can be found at www.regulations.gov/document?D=EEOC-2016-0009-0001.