EQUAL OPPORTUNITY DIRECTIVE NUMBER 2001-19
 

TO:                 Bureau/Office Equal Opportunity Officers

FROM:           Carolyn M. Burrell, Assistant Director
                       Complaints Processing and Adjudication

SUBJECT:      New York District Office - Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

The purpose of this Directive is to provide you with information on the status of complaint cases that are pending hearing in the New York District Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).  The New York District Office of the EEOC was located in the World Trade Center.  Fortunately all of the staff were safely evacuated and have been accounted for; however, the New York District office and all its contents, including case files and other materials stored there were destroyed on September 11^th. The EEOC does have computerized records of pending cases.

All efforts are being made to reopen the New York Office as soon as possible and once a location or locations have been identified to which files can be sent, the EEOC will be asking that copies of the official case files be re-submitted for each case that was pending hearing for which files were lost.  (Some files were in the Boston office and the Administrative Judges had some files in locations other than the New York Office.)  To ensure that their electronic records are as complete as possible, at that time, Agencies will also be asked to send copies of any requests for hearing received from complainants on or after August 13, 2001.  Therefore, please take the time to determine what cases, if any, your Bureau may have had that were pending hearing before an administrative judge in New York, or the submission of documentation or other information to that office.

Until we receive specific instructions from the administrative judge or other EEOC staff, no information or materials are to be submitted to the New York District Office.  Further, in those instances in which Administrative Judges have already issued instructions or orders, or scheduled a hearing, you should not expect that the matter will proceed as planned or ordered.  The administrative judges or other EEOC staff will be in contact with this office within the next few weeks to make arrangements as needed.  As we receive further guidance and requests we will advise you of such.

For your information we are providing, as attachments to this Directive, copies of the electronic mail communication from the Director, Federal Sector Programs, EEOC and the letter from Cari M. Dominiguez, Chair, EEOC regarding the situation with the New York District Office.  Upon receipt of further information regarding these matters, we will be in communication with you.
 

Attachments (2) - Please call 202-208-5693.
 

DISTRIBUTION:    Bureau and Office Equal Opportunity Officers
INQUIRIES:            Carolyn M. Burrell, Assistant Director, Complaints Processing and Adjudication, 202-208-3442
EXPIRES:                When Superseded