TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I: Agency Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 A. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Composition and Background . . . . . ...... 1 B. EEOC Recent Staffing Challenges and Budgetary Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . ............. 2 C. EEOC Prof iles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...................................... 3 PARTII: EEOC’sEnforcementPriorities...................................................5 A. EEOC’s FY 2026 Cornerstone Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....................... 5 1. Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................................... 5 2. Particular FY 2026 Strategic Enforcement Priorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................ 6 3. EEOC and Wage Hour Division Memorandum of Understanding . . . . . . . . ......... 10 4. Impact of LoperBright............................................................ 11 5. Recent EEOC Guidance on Vision and Hearing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................. 12 6. Focus Area: Hearing Impairment Issues in Recruiting and Hiring . . . . . . . . .........13 7. Staffing Company Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................13 8. Amicus Briefs and Other Noteworthy Filings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................... 14 9. EEOC Stepping Down from Several Lawsuits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................... 19 10. Changes within the Federal Sector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....................... 20 B. EEOC Focus on Pregnancy Discrimination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .......................21 1. The Legal Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................. 21 2. Pregnancy-Related Lawsuits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................... 21 3. Subpoena Enforcement Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......................... 23 C. Changing Enforcement Priorities To Protect Workers Against Discrimination . . . . .... 23 1. Ames Decision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................. 24 2. National Origin Discrimination To Protect American Workers . . . . . . . . . .......... 24 D. Religious Discrimination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................... 25 E. EEOC Focus on Equal Pay Protections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................ 28 F. Preventing Discrimination In Recruiting and Hiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................. 29 1. Artificial Intelligence and Technology in Recruiting and Hiring . . . . . . . . . ......... 29 2. Other Technology in Hiring and the Path Ahead on AI . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............. 32 3. Job Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................. 33 iv | EEOC-INITIATED LITIGATION: 2025 EDITION ©2026 Seyfarth Shaw LLP
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