EEOC ATTORNEYS CHOSEN FOR PRIVATE BAR FELLOWSHIP

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today that five of its attorneys have been newly selected to participate in the Government Fellowship Program of the American Bar Association's (ABA) Section of Labor and Employment Law. Under the program, which began in 1999, EEOC attorneys of excellence and promise in the field of civil rights law serve as Fellows on various committees of the ABA's Section of Labor and Employment Law.

"I am proud that the ABA had so many outstanding attorneys at EEOC to choose from, and I congratulate the attorneys selected for this great opportunity," said Commission Chair Cari M. Dominguez. "This fine program enhances the Commission's continuing outreach to the private bar, and fortifies the skills of EEOC attorneys who work so hard to fight workplace discrimination."

Jana Howard Carey, head of the ABA's Section of Labor and Employment Law, added, "We are delighted to continue this fruitful program and welcome the new EEOC participants. Besides the other benefits, this program enriches the ABA by involving new attorneys in our committees."

The five EEOC attorneys chosen this year for fellowships, which last three years, are:

New Fellows on Employment Rights and Responsibilities Committee

• Donna Harper, Supervisory Trial Attorney, St. Louis District Office
• Gregory Gochanour, Supervisory Trial Attorney, Chicago District Office
• Louis Lopez, Appellate Attorney, Office of General Counsel

New Fellows on Equal Employment Opportunity Committee

• Rebecca Stith, Senior Trial Attorney, St. Louis District Office
• William Cash, Senior Trial Attorney, Memphis District Office

This year's selections bring the total number of EEOC/ABA Government Fellows to nine. They serve on the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee, the Employment Rights and Responsibilities Committee, and the Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee of the ABA's Section of Labor and Employment Law. Fellows are encouraged to participate in annual and mid-winter committee meetings, to help in preparing committee publications, and to serve as presenters or instructors in legal education programs. Upon completion of the program, Fellows are encouraged to continue participation on an individual basis by becoming members of the ABA and the Section of Labor and Employment Law.

The EEOC enforces Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual harassment or pregnancy) or national origin and protects employees who complain about such offenses from retaliation; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, which protects workers age 40 and older from discrimination based on age; the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which prohibits gender-based wage discrimination; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits employment discrimination against people with disabilities in the federal sector; Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits employment discrimination against people with disabilities in the private sector and state and local governments; and sections of the Civil Rights Act of 1991. Further information about the Commission is available on the agency's web site at www.eeoc.gov.