EEOC Reflection

Five weeks in, I’ve managed to get a hold of Joe to address my situation at the EEOC. I have yet to be assigned to an investigator/department but I’ve tried to make the most of my time while sitting in intake. I realized during my time there that many people do not understand how the EEOC operates – they come into the office expecting to meet an investigator the same day but are often sent away because afternoons are reserved for appointments (and mornings for walk-ins). From what I understand, one of the goals of outreach are to educate people about the resources that are available to them… perhaps it’s not reaching enough people? I have read through many case files but only sat in two interviews – one via the phone and the other in person. From what I’ve seen, most individuals file when they think they are being mistreated but often fail to take a closer look at their situation from an outsider’s point of view. For example, during the in-person interview, the billing manager, whom I will refer to as “manager” from now on, of a senior living facility was filing a charge for retaliation because her direct supervisor (also the CFO) was “making her life

I have read through most of the investigator’s training manual during my wait in intake, and I’ve noticed that many people also fail to take note of what the EEOC covers and how they decide to move forward with a case. Although I do not believe this process should be made known to the public – due to a risk of fraudulent reports – I do think it would help individuals better identify the validity of their charge. I also believe that the available government resources are not well-known to its citizens and that may pose as a barrier for