In tough economic times, there is an even greater need to protect workers from discrimination and ensure that programs and policies are put in place to help workers meet the dual demands of work and family.  Karen Minatelli, Director of Work and Family Programs at the National Partnership for Women & Families, will be among those testifying about the challenges facing workers with caregiving responsibilities during this recession at a hearing at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) agency headquarters, 131 M Street, N.E., at 10 a.m. EST on Wednesday, April 22.  The meeting is open to media and the public.

The Commission is scheduled to hear from invited expert panelists on the importance of caregiver-friendly workplace policies in economic hard times.  The panelists are:

• Karen Minatelli, Director of Work and Family Programs, National Partnership for Women & Families
• Cynthia Calvert, Deputy Director, The Center for WorkLife Law
• Heather Boushey, Senior Economist, Center for American Progress
• Jeff Norris, President, Equal Employment Advisory Council

Prior to the panel presentation, the EEOC Office of Legal Counsel will present a new document, Employer Best Practices for Workers with Caregiving Responsibilities. It will supplement formal guidance issued by the Commission in 2007 on how EEOC-enforced laws apply to employees with caregiving responsibilities.