Senior Counsel Courtney Mickman appeared on FedUpward Podcast’s most recent episode, “Inside the EEOC: What Federal Employees Should Know.” Podcast host Love Rutledge interviews Courtney about her prior experience as an administrative judge at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”), the types of discrimination EEOC covers, and the process for EEOC and federal employees. Courtney also discusses current topics, such as how the return-to-office mandate is affecting reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities.
Later in the episode, Courtney addresses confusion about diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) and the anti-discrimination statutes that EEOC enforces. She explained that anti-discrimination law, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act —which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin— “has not changed at all by the creation of DEI programs or the elimination of DEI programs.”
It is important that everyone understands that it is unlawful —and it has been unlawful for many years— to select someone for a position based on their race or sex to take any kind of employment action to fail to take an employment action based on someone’s sex or race or national origin, religion, disability, age, or for engaging in any kind of protected EEO activity.
Visit the FedUpward Podcast website to listen to Courtney’s interview and more episodes.
FedUpward Podcast – Tips for Federal Government Employees with Love Rutledge