David W. Garland, Member of the Firm and Chair of the firm’s National Employment, Labor & Workforce Management Steering Committee, was quoted in HR Dive, in “EEOC Lacks Quorum Following Expiration of Feldblum’s Term,” by Ryan Golden.
Following is an excerpt:
The EEOC is one of the most impactful federal agencies in the employment space, and the lack of a quorum prevents it from tackling several important activities, including filing some lawsuits and undertaking rulemaking.
But regardless of the status of the commission, employers should be no less committed to compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal laws that fall under EEOC’s purview, David W. Garland, a member of the firm at Epstein Becker Green, told HR Dive in an interview. For the most part, the agency will continue to do much of its day-to-day work despite the lack of a quorum, though it is currently closed due to the federal shutdown with only a limited number of services available.
Feldblum, who served on the commission since April 2010, took a leadership role during an active time for the agency, alongside acting chair Victoria Lipnic, co-chairing its June 2016 report on harassment in U.S. workplaces. The report preceded the rise of the #MeToo movement last year, as well as a jump in EEOC harassment lawsuits in 2018 following an increased emphasis on the issue by the commission in public meetings.
“She’s been a model public servant who articulates and advances her views of what she believes,” Garland said. “Whatever side of a particular issue you may be on, I think that should be recognized.”
People
Board of Directors / Member of the Firm
