Cari M. Dominguez, Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, announced this week that she will step down on August 31, 2006 at the end of her five-year term. Speaking at the National Industry Liaison Group annual meeting the day after her announcement, Dominguez said she is proud of EEOC’s accomplishments and believes the agency will be “in great hands” after her departure.
During her tenure, Dominguez implemented several major initiatives at the agency. These include a major reorganization of the EEOC to enhance delivery of services and improve the efficiency of operations by opening new field offices in Las Vegas and Mobile, Alabama and streamlining the management structure. Dominguez also implemented a pilot project to create a national customer service call center for EEOC, which the commission recently voted to extend for another year. Other achievements attributed to Chair Dominguez include securing funds in a 2003 supplemental spending bill to prevent layoffs, greater outreach to small businesses and reduced processing time for federal sector hearings and appeals.
Dominguez was nominated by President Bush to chair the EEOC, unanimously confirmed by the Senate, and sworn in on August 6, 2001. Previously she served from 1989-1993 in the U.S. Department of Labor as Assistant Secretary for Employment Standards and as Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. During her tenure as OFCCP director, Dominguez launched and led the Department of Labor’s “Glass Ceiling Initiative,” designed to remove invisible barriers from the workplace. Dominguez has extensive private sector experience as a corporate executive, international executive search and management consultant, and business owner.
Commission Vice Chair Naomi Earp will assume the agency’s operational responsibility as Acting Chair effective September 1, 2006 until a permanent successor is named by President Bush and confirmed by the Senate. Vice Chair Earp and Commissioner Leslie Silverman hold the two Republican seats on the commission. The Democratic commissioners are Stuart Ishimaru and Christine Griffin.
