Reading Room Document

Reorganization of Equal Employment Enforcement Authority

The document discusses the question of whether a reorganization plan could grant concurrent authority to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Department of Justice with respect to certain types of lawsuits. It concludes that there is no legal barrier to including such a provision in a reorganization plan. The document also presents a review of the pertinent provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Reorganization Act of 1977, and discusses the implications of granting concurrent jurisdiction to two agencies. The conclusion reached is that no provision of the Reorganization Act would forbid including in a plan a provision transferring to the Attorney General concurrent jurisdiction over §707 suits against private employees and unions, and that the question whether to include such a provision is essentially a question of policy.

December 2, 1977