October 6, 2023 • News

EEOC Proposes Updated Workplace Harassment Guide

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has posted updated Workplace Harassment Guidance for public inspection and comment through Nov. 1, 2023. The Strategic Enforcement Plan Fiscal Years 2024-2028 explains the legal standards and employer liability applicable to harassment claims under the federal employment discrimination laws enforced by the EEOC. These laws protect covered employees from harassment based on: race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, transgender status, and pregnancy), national origin, disability, age (40 and older) or genetic information. The guidance reflects notable changes in law since it was first drafted in 2017, including the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, the #MeToo movement, and emerging issues such as virtual and online harassment, increasing use of technology and the expansion of the vulnerable and underserved worker priority, with numerous updated examples.