EEOC, Labor, NLRB partner on retaliation initiative

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. Department of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board said Wednesday they have formed a joint initiative to increase awareness about retaliation issues when workers exercise their protected labor rights.

The EEOC said in a statement the initiative will include collaboration among the agencies to protect workers on issues of unlawful retaliatory conduct, educate the public and engage with employers, business organizations, labor organizations and civil rights groups in the coming year.

The statement said the initiative will begin Nov. 17 with a virtual dialog with the employer community that focuses on the importance of workers’ anti-retaliation protections for those exercising their rights, and the agencies’ commitment to vigorous enforcement.

EEOC chair Charlotte A. Burrows said in the statement that retaliation charges have increased as a percentage of the total number of charges filed with the EEOC every year for the last 20 years.