January 14, 1999

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY DIRECTIVE 1999-08

TO: Bureau/Office Equal Opportunity Officers

FROM: Melodee Stith, Director
Office for Equal Opportunity

SUBJECT: Proposed Final Rule Revising the Federal Sector Discrimination

Complaint Processing Regulations, 29 C.F.R. Part 1614

This Directive is to advise you that we just received the subject proposed changes to 29 C.F.R. Part 1614 for comment. The Commission is circulating for final coordination and comment of the draft Final Rule revising the federal sector equal employment opportunity (EEO) complaint processing regulations contained in 29 C.F.R. Part 1614. As you know, the Commission sought public comment on proposed revisions to the regulations in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) published in the Federal Register on February 20, 1998. The proposed revisions implement the regulation changes recommended by the Federal Sector Workgroup, established as part of EEOC's ongoing effort to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of EEOC's operations. The Commission received over 60 public comments in response to the NPRM, including 19 from federal agencies and departments. The Commission has made a number of changes to the proposals contained in the NPRM in response to the comments.

A copy of the proposed Final Rule with a preamble analyzing the comments and explaining the changes is attached. The interagency coordination period for the proposed Final Rule will terminate on January 29, 1999. Therefore we will need your response for DOI coordination by January 25, 1999. Any comment received during this period will also be given to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Management and Budget. If there are any questions about the proposed Final Rule, please contact the individuals listed in the rule.

Attachment

INQUIRIES: Carmen J. Santana, Staff Assistant, Complaints, Office for Equal Opportunity, (202) 208-4016

EXPIRES: When Superseded