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Coronavirus and COVID-19

We have established this page to consolidate relevant coronavirus and COVID-19 information and to answer questions from the public about the EEO laws and COVID-19.

  • The EEOC's Office of Federal Operations (OFO) issued instructions on April 6, 2020, regarding the processing of federal sector EEO complaints covered by 29 CFR Part 1614. Those instructions were revised on July 27, 2020, to allow the issuance of agency final actions.  We do not intend this guidance to require any task that would increase risks to the health or safety of federal employees.
  • EEOC Chair Janet Dhillon issued a statement about unlawful national origin and race discrimination against Asian Americans and people of Asian descent in the workplace during the pandemic.
  • The EEOC posted information to inform the public we are continuing to enforce the nation's employment non-discrimination laws while ensuring that all of our activities are consistent with public health guidelines.
  • The EEOC posted a question and answer document, What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws, last updated on December 16, 2020.
  • The EEOC has provided guidance entitled Pandemic Preparedness in the Workplace and the Americans With Disabilities Act [PDF version] that can help employers implement strategies to navigate the impact of COVID-19 in the workplace. This pandemic publication, written during the prior H1N1 outbreak, is still relevant today and identifies established ADA and Rehabilitation Act principles to answer questions frequently asked about the workplace during a pandemic. It was updated on March 19, 2020 to address examples and information regarding COVID-19; the new information appears in bold.
  • To supplement these documents, the EEOC posted a pre-recorded webinar addressing questions arising under any of the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Laws and the COVID-19 pandemic. The video can be seen on YouTube or in the video player below. A transcript of the webinar is also available.

 

More information about the government response to the coronavirus pandemic can be found at:

NOTE: The EEOC's materials only address COVID-19 as it impacts the anti-discrimination laws enforced by the EEOC. If you have questions about wage and hour issues, the FLSA, the FMLA, OSHA, unemployment compensation, and the new Families First Coronavirus Response Act, or similar issues, please contact the U.S. Department of Labor, www.dol.gov.