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Civil Rights Directorate


Civil Rights News | July 17, 2024

Coast Guard and EEOC Collaborate to Enhance EEO and Anti-Discrimination Efforts

By Civil Rights Directorate

To strengthen its commitment to workplace fairness and equal employment opportunity (EEO), the Coast Guard welcomed a technical assistance visit from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on June 11, 2024. This review aimed to evaluate and help support the Coast Guard’s compliance with EEO laws and policies.  

During the visit, leaders from the Coast Guard’s Civil Rights Directorate, Office of Personnel Readiness, and Civilian Personnel engaged in open and candid discussions about the compliance and effectiveness of the Coast Guard's EEO program with the EEOC’s Agency Oversight Division (AOD) of the Office of Federal Operations (OFO). Before the visit, AOD thoroughly reviewed policies, procedures, and practices related to discrimination complaints and other EEO initiatives. The goal for the AOD team is to help the Coast Guard identify strengths and areas for improvement, ensuring the Service’s EEO efforts align with federal standards and best practices. 
 
Based on their assessment, EEOC’s AOD highlighted: 

  • The Coast Guard’s Alternative Dispute Resolution, or conflict resolution participation rates, have consistently surpassed EEOC’s 50% goal during the last two fiscal years. 

  • The Commandant’s recent Equal Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination/Anti-Harassment Policy Statements included the newer protections from the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to accommodate pregnancy-related conditions. 

  • The Coast Guard’s transition of the hiring system to USAStaffing before the end of fiscal year 2024 was meaningful progress toward improving applicant flow data needed to better assess the workforce lifecycle. 

  • Recent policy changes aimed at improving the processing of all reasonable accommodation requests within policy timeframes indicated the Coast Guard’s commitment to increasing compliance. 

During the visit, the dialogue between the Coast Guard and the EEOC was crucial for fostering transparency and mutual understanding which allowed the Coast Guard to share specific challenges and receive tailored guidance from the EEOC, ensuring that recommendations are practical and effective. The collaboration between agencies enables the Coast Guard to address EEO deficiencies more efficiently.

After the visit, the EEOC will provide follow-up support to ensure the Coast Guard is implementing the recommended changes. This ongoing assistance helps address any emerging issues and ensures the Coast Guard’s progress toward establishing a model EEO program. 

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