EEOC Seeks Comments on Freedom to Compete Award Process

by Patricia A. Schaeffer, Vice President-Regulatory Affairs

In 2005 the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) began issuing “Freedom to Compete Awards” as part of its Freedom to Compete (FTC) initiative. The FTC initiative is a national outreach, education, and coalition-building strategy designed to complement the agency’s enforcement and litigation efforts by identifying EEO practices and programs worthy of emulation.

On August 28, 2007, the EEOC published a notice in the Federal Register (72 FR 49278) seeking public comments on proposed changes to the nomination process.

There are two major revisions to the FTC Award program under Eligibility Criteria, and other types of revisions are included under Requirements for Submitting Nominations. The proposed revisions are designed to better explain the information EEOC requests, which it has collected in the past.

A summary of the proposed changes include:

• A nomination will not be considered a nominee if it meets the requirements for filing an EEOC EEO survey form and did not file;




• Nominees must use the Nomination Form to submit the information requested.

Written comments must be submitted on or before October 29, 2007.