Gilbride is a strong advocate for enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws and ensuring equal opportunities

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – October 17, 2023 – “The National Partnership for Women & Families commends the Senate for confirming Karla Gilbride as general counsel to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). She is a fierce advocate for workplace equity and in the fight against discrimination – particularly for women, women of color and disabled people, who account for the vast majority of wage discrimination and sexual harassment claims filed.

“Gilbride possesses a deep understanding of the systemic barriers to workers’ equality, which will be critical to carrying out the EEOC’s mission of dismantling those barriers, advancing equal employment opportunity, and creating workplaces free of discrimination. She has a long track record of enforcing the law to ensure employers protect workers from sexual harassment and improve working conditions for women. She has also been a strong disability rights advocate, working to ensure that disabled people have access to the reasonable accommodations they need.

“Karla Gilbride is a trailblazer: she is the first blind lawyer to argue before the Supreme Court of the United States and to be confirmed for the EEOC General Counsel role. Her confirmation is an important step toward advancing representation of disabled people, and disabled women in particular, in the workforce.

“We thank our allies in the Senate for taking this meaningful action to support the EEOC’s critical enforcement capacity and ultimately improve the workplace for women and all people.”

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