[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 160 (Friday, August 16, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 42556-42557]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-20958]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
28 CFR Part 42
RIN 1190 AA30
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
29 CFR Part 1691
RIN 3046 AA51
Procedures for Complaints of Employment Discrimination Filed
Against Recipients of Federal Financial Assistance
AGENCIES: Department of Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission.
ACTION: Notice of rescission of limitation on participation of the
Department of Education in procedures governing referral of certain
complaints of employment discrimination.
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SUMMARY: This document informs the public that a limitation placed on
the participation of the Department of Education (ED) in the procedures
prescribed by a joint rule of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for processing
complaints of employment discrimination filed against recipients of
Federal financial assistance no longer applies. 28 CFR Part 42, 29 CFR
Part 1691. The decision in Women's Equity Action League v. Cavazos, 906
F.2d 742 (D.C. Cir. 1990), has the effect of allowing ED to refer joint
complaints alleging a pattern or practice of employment discrimination
or joint complaints alleging discrimination in employment and in other
practices to the EEOC, when appropriate, under the joint DOJ and EEOC
rule.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peggy R. Mastroianni, Associate Legal
Counsel, Office of Legal Counsel, Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission, 1801 L Street, N.W., 6th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20507.
Telephone: (202) 663-4638 (voice), (202) 663-7026 (TDD); or Merrily A.
Friedlander, Chief, Coordination and Review Section, Civil Rights
Division, U.S. Department of Justice, P.O. Box 66560, Washington, D.C.
20035-6560, (202) 307-2222 (voice), (202) 307-2678 (TDD).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 25, 1983, DOJ and the EEOC
published a rule entitled ``Procedures for Complaints of Employment
Discrimination Filed Against Recipients of Federal Funds.'' 28 CFR Part
42, 29 CFR Part 1691 (joint rule). The joint rule generally sets forth
procedures for Federal agencies that grant financial assistance to
coordinate with the EEOC the processing of joint complaints involving
employment discrimination covered by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964 or the Equal Pay Act, and by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the State and
Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972, as amended, or provisions similar
to Title VI and Title IX in Federal grant statutes.
By virtue of an order of the United States District Court in Adams
v. Bell, C.A. No. 3095-70, and Women's Equity
[[Page 42557]]
Action League v. Bell, C.A. No. 74-1720 (D.D.C., Order of December 29,
1977, as modified by D.D.C., Order of March 11, 1983) (hereinafter
referred to as ``Adams''), ED was obliged to process complaints of
discrimination within time limits specified by the court. Those time
limits did not apply to the EEOC or to other agencies that grant
financial assistance, nor were they required by the procedures of the
joint rule. As a result, DOJ and the EEOC published a rule-related
notice stating that ED was precluded by court order from referring
employment discrimination complaints to the EEOC under the procedures
of the joint rule. 48 FR 29686, June 28, 1983.
On January 17, 1985, the district court in Adams issued a modified
order permitting ED ``to refer individual, as opposed to systemic,
complaints of employment discrimination under Title VI and Title IX''
to the EEOC. As a result, DOJ and the EEOC published a rule-related
notice stating that ED was now permitted to refer joint complaints
alleging discrimination against an individual to the EEOC. However, the
notice indicated that ED would continue to be precluded from referring
to the EEOC joint complaints alleging a pattern or practice of
employment discrimination or alleging discrimination in both employment
and non-employment practices. The procedures of the joint rule permit
agencies to refer these complaints to the EEOC when warranted by
special circumstances. See 50 FR 8608, Mar. 4, 1985.
On June 26, 1990, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of the entire Adams
litigation and released ED from the prior limitations of the 1983 Adams
order referenced above. Women's Equity Action League v. Cavazos, 906
F.2d 742 (D.C. Cir. 1990). Accordingly, ED is now allowed to follow the
coordination procedures set forth in the joint rule in their entirety,
including those procedures governing the processing and referral of
joint complaints alleging a pattern or practice of employment
discrimination or discrimination in employment and non-employment
practices.
For the Department of Justice.
Dated: August 12, 1996.
Deval L. Patrick,
Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division.
For the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Dated: August 9, 1996.
Gilbert F. Casellas,
Chairman.
[FR Doc. 96-20958 Filed 8-15-96; 8:45 am]
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