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Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
CommissionsContested removal
At a glance
Type
Independent regulatory commissions
Removal of leadership
Removal protection contested
Appointed by
Members appointed by the President, confirmed by the Senate
Structure
5-member commission · led by the Chair
Term
5-year term · staggered · party-balanced
Funding
Annual appropriations
Independence
Independent
Title VII contains no removal provision; the EEOC was long treated as a for-cause independent commission under the Humphrey's Executor (1935) tradition. In Jan. 2025 President Trump removed Commissioners Burrows and Samuels before their terms expired without citing statutory cause; Samuels v. Trump (filed Apr. 2025) challenges the removal. The broader question of removal protection for independent multi-member commissions is before the Supreme Court in Trump v. Slaughter (FTC; argued Dec. 8, 2025), which could overrule or narrow Humphrey's Executor. As of mid-2026 the President's removal power over EEOC members is unsettled.
What it does
The EEOC enforces federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or employee because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information. It investigates discrimination charges, can sue employers, and issues guidance and regulations covering most private employers, unions, employment agencies, and federal, state, and local governments.
LaborJustice
How it fits
Created by Congress under the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Section 705) (42 U.S.C. 2000e-4; Pub. L. 88-352), it acts within the authority that statute grants. Its actions are subject to judicial review and to congressional oversight and funding.
Recent actions
Performance Review Board Appointment of Members
Federal Sector Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission Meeting-Sunshine Act Notice
Sunshine Act Meetings
Commission Meeting-Sunshine Act Notice
Removal of Reporting Requirements; Public Hearing
Removal of Reporting Requirements
Commission Meeting-Sunshine Act Notice