Representing You At The EEOC Hearing
Discrimination or harassment can significantly impact your career, life and happiness. At Passman & Kaplan, P.C., Attorneys at Law, our mission is to champion your rights, help end discrimination and promote equity in the workplace.
Our Washington, D.C., lawyers have more than 25 years of experience representing federal employees in hearings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). We proudly serve individuals nationwide.
Guarding Your Interests At Every Stage Of The EEOC Hearing Process
After the agency investigation of your EEO complaint, the next step in your quest for justice is usually to request a hearing before a judge at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Again, time deadlines are short. Your EEOC hearing request must be submitted within 30 calendar days of when you received the Report of Investigation (RoI). At its core, an EEOC hearing is a trial. It does not come with the formal trappings of a courtroom trial — it’s not held in a fancy courtroom, the judge doesn’t wear formal robes and no jury is present — but all the important elements of a trial are present.
One such element is pretrial discovery, which involves interrogatories, requests for documents and the taking of depositions. Another element is pretrial motions, often brought by the agency in an attempt to have your complaint dismissed or to have your case decided without a hearing. Many times during discovery, agencies will not provide the information to which we are entitled, so we must file motions to compel them to turn over the evidence.
Finally, our lawyers will try your case before the judge. This usually involves producing exhibits and examining and cross-examining witnesses.
If the agency loses the case, it may file an appeal. If so, we can represent you through all stages of the appeal process as well. Likewise, if your case is initially unsuccessful, we can seek to appeal that decision. The process can be long and tedious, but you can count on P&K to provide you with the best possible chance of success.
Not Just Any Employment Lawyer Will Do — Federal-Sector Experience Is Critical
If you are a federal employee facing an EEOC hearing, you need an attorney with detailed knowledge and extensive experience in this niche area of law. Most private-sector employment lawyers will not touch federal-sector employment law cases because they are so complex, involving completely different procedures and laws.
This is particularly true when it comes to EEO cases. The Equal Employment Opportunity function in the federal sector is very different from its function in the private sector. In federal sector cases involving discrimination allegations, the EEOC serves as the adjudicator. In private sector cases, it serves as the prosecutor. The legal processes do not mirror each other at all. In the federal sector, the time limits are incredibly short and the processes are complex and multifaceted. Your rights should be in the hands of lawyers who are experienced in the federal-sector EEO maze.
Because of P&K’s extensive experience in federal-sector EEO cases, we are able to provide the meticulous and effective legal representation required to maximize your chances of success.
Contact P&K by email or call our lawyers at 202-789-0100 or 800-881-0140. We serve clients across the U.S.
