Bloomberg Law by Rebecca Klar

A group of House Democrats are urging EEOC Acting Chair Andrea Lucas to “reverse course” on any plans to terminate leases for the agency’s field offices, according to a letter exclusively shared with Bloomberg Law.

The Democrats raised concerns in a letter Wednesday about the impact potentially shutting eight field offices across the country will have on the agency’s ability to conduct investigations and bring cases, as well as conduct mediations and resolve claims.

The prospective Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lease terminations are part of a broader Department of Government Efficiency plan to cut the federal government’s size. The eight offices, located in Alabama, California, North Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Kansas, and South Carolina, are among 679 nationwide pieces of commercial real estate listed under DOGE’s lease terminations as of Wednesday.

“The EEOC, which is the lead federal agency charged with safeguarding American workers from illegal discrimination in the workplace, performs a vital mission for our constituents,” the lawmakers wrote. “We strongly urge you to reverse course on any plan to terminate leases at EEOC’s field offices.”

Five House Democrats from districts where some of the field offices on the list are located — Reps. Zoe Lofgren (Calif.), Shomari Figures (Ala.), Alma Adams (N.C.), Yassamin Ansari (Ariz.), and Deborah Ross (N.C.) — signed the letter led by House Education and Workforce Committee ranking member Robert Scott (D-Va.).

A spokesperson for the EEOC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The agency previously declined to comment when asked about the offices on the DOGE list.

The Democrats asked the EEOC to provide information by April 10 about plans for workers at field offices facing closures, how cases will be redistributed, and efforts to ensure the public understands where to go if they have a complaint.

The lawmakers also raised concerns about any action to shut offices being taken as the agency lacks quorum, which has been the case since President Donald Trump fired two Democratic commissioners in January.

The letter cited a 2006 EEOC order that said establishment of and changes to jurisdictional boundaries of any EEOC field activity is subject to commission approval.

Link to full article: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/bloomberg-government-news/house-democrats-press-eeoc-over-field-office-lease-terminations