September 14, 2023

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that formalizes and increases coordination between the agencies through information sharing, joint investigations, training, and outreach. Specifically, the MOU notes that:

“WHD and the EEOC may share, whether upon request from the other agency or upon an agency’s own initiative, any information or data that supports the other agency’s enforcement activities, whether obtained in the course of an investigation or through any other sources, to the extent permitted by law. This may include complaint referrals and other sharing of information in complaint or investigative files relating to alleged violations of the laws enforced by WHD and the EEOC.”

The announcement highlights that the agreement is an effort by WHD and the EEOC to improve the enforcement process of the laws they administer, including, among others, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Davis-Bacon Act, the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act of 2022, and the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act. In addition to enhanced enforcement, the agencies will use the partnership to increase the public’s understanding of the laws enforced by the Wage and Hour Division and the EEOC through increased community outreach, shared compliance materials, joint presentations, and training events.

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