U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), CASE MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES, Desk Reference for Investigators, 2011

Background

This document was obtained under FOIA Case 820-2018-000085 with the EEOC by The Black Vault. According to the document’s introduction:

“Over the last several years, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has experienced a significant increase in the number of people who inquire about employment discrimination matters and the number of people who actually file charges. During the same period of time, the EEOC has experienced a decline in the number of investigators and other staff across the country due to attrition and the inability to replace critical staff.

Charge receipts have grown significantly from almost 81,000 in FY 2001 to just over 95,000 in FY 2008 and 93,000 in FY 2009, with 2008 and 2009 being the highest two years in the last twenty. From FY 2000 through FY 2008, the number of investigators declined sharply, from 917 in FY 2000, down to 646 in FY 2008, as staff attrition and a hiring freeze decimated the number of investigators. From FY 2000 through FY 2008, EEOC lost a total of 271 investigators – more than 30 percent of its investigative workforce.

The increase in charge receipts coupled with the decrease in investigators ensured that the agency’s inventory would grow. As the inventory rose, the average caseload per available investigator also rose.

In September of 2009, Deputy Directors and Enforcement Managers met in Washington, DC and discussed case management best practices. During this meeting Nicholas Inzeo, Director of the Office of Field Programs, formed a Work Group to craft a Case Management Best Practices Desk Reference for Investigators. Members of the Work Group included Cheryl Mabry-Thomas (Acting Deputy, Washington Field Office), Daniel J. Cabot (Director, Cleveland Field Office), Janet Elizondo (Deputy Director, Dallas District Office), Julianne Bowman (Deputy Director, Chicago District Office), and Webster Smith (Deputy Director, Indianapolis District Office).

After interviewing investigators and supervisors from the field and reviewing prior headquarters’ documents on case management, the Work Group created this Case Management Best Practices Desk Reference. This Desk Reference is not a one-size-fits-all manual nor is it a cookie cutter approach to case management. It includes a variety of approaches to case management that current investigators found worked best for them. We ask that you study this document with an open mind and take from it what will help you better manage your caseload. We hope that whether you have just completed New Investigator training or you are celebrating your 30th year anniversary with the Commission, you fmd some new and refreshing tools in this living document to enable you to be the best investigator that you can.”