Feds Increase Scrutiny of Racism and Sexism in Construction Workplaces

The construction industry has a diversity and discrimination problem, and in January, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) took formal notice. In its recently proposed Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP), effective from 2023 through 2027, the EEOC explains that it will prioritize discrimination cases in certain industries, particularly those receiving federal funding, and referenced the construction industry specifically.

Construction call-out

The EEOC, a federal agency created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, is responsible for enforcing laws against discrimination in the workplace. The proposed SEP updates and coordinates the EEOC’s priorities nationwide, focusing on activities with the most strategic impact. The EEOC determines the impact of an issue by its significance and potential positive effect on future equal employment opportunities within six subject-matter priorities: