Members of EEOC workplace harassment task force selected

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Monday announced the membership of a Select Task Force on the Study of Harassment in the Workplace that will reflect a wide range of perspectives.

The task force, which was announced by EEOC Chair Jenny R. Yang in January, will examine the problem of workplace harassment in all its forms and look for ways by which it might be prevented and addressed, the EEOC said in a statement.

The task force will be co-chaired by EEOC Commissioners Chai R. Feldblum and Victoria A. Lipnic. Its 16 members include representatives of academia and social science, plaintiff and defense attorneys, employers and employee advocacy groups, organized labor and others.

It is anticipated the task force will hold a series of meetings, including public meetings, over the course of the next year, the agency said.

“A lot of progress has been made around the issue of workplace harassment, but we know it remains a persistent problem. Complaints of harassment span all industries, include many of our most vulnerable workers, and are included in 30% of the charges that we receive,” Ms. Yang said in the statement. “Through creation of this Select Task Force, I hope we will reach more workers and more in the employer community so we can understand the challenges they face and promote the practices we’ve seen work. I really look forward to the results.”