Kotagal is a proven champion for women’s equity in the workplace

Statement of Jocelyn Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 12, 2023 – “Today the Senate took an important step in the fight for equity in the workplace when it confirmed Kalpana Kotagal as a commissioner to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).The EEOC serves a critical role in fighting job discrimination and inequality and enforcing civil rights laws in the workplace – particularly for women and women of color, who account for the vast majority of wage discrimination and sexual harassment claims filed.

“Kotagal will be an important voice as the Commission works to implement fair hiring practices and enforce workplace protections for vulnerable workers. With her confirmation, the Commission will finally have a full slate of commissioners to overcome gridlock and take concrete, long overdue action to combat unequal pay practices that contribute to gender and racial wage gaps by resuming collection of information from employers that can reveal sex- and race-based wage discrimination. It will also ensure the EEOC issues strong rules protecting pregnant workers from making the impossible choice between a safe pregnancy and their livelihoods following the historic passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act last Congress, as well as long-overdue formal enforcement guidance on protecting workers from discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

“Confirming Kotagal as a commissioner was a critical step to protect workers, and we thank Majority Leader Schumer, Chairman Sanders and our allies in the Senate for taking this step to improve the workplace for women. Kotagal is a proven champion for women’s equity in the workplace and has dedicated her career to strengthening civil rights for working people, including defending workers’ right to equal pay and fighting against pregnancy discrimination and wage theft. We urge the EEOC to act quickly to address the most pressing issues facing women workers.”

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