In the Media
EEOC Hearing Highlights Covid’s Many Challenges For Companies And Workers
Read Time: 1 minMember Steve Beiser (New Orleans) was quoted in a Forbes article on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s first virtual hearing on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, to examine the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the civil rights of workers.
“Witness testimony focused on the disproportionate impact of Covid on the lowest wage jobs, many held by communities of color, particularly women in these communities, older works, and employees with disabilities.
“While one commissioner indicated that there should an emphasis on hiring and retaining individuals with disabilities, the EEOC maintains its position that quotas based on protected characteristics remain illegal,” he said.
Steve also noted several suggestions that were made by witnesses about the steps the EEOC could take concerning Covid in the workplace, including providing clear guidance/guidelines regarding vaccinated employees and accommodation of employee concerns about returning to work, conducting webinars and providing short guidance, and exploring ways for employers and employees to pose questions to the EEOC to avoid legal issues down the road.