Recently, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) contacted the Office of Inspector General (OIG) regarding suspicious and/or pornographic images being uploaded by a potential charging party (PCP) as evidence to their claim of sexual harassment against an employer into the Agency’s information system, the Agency Records Center (ARC).
A Management Advisory was issued to Agency senior management.
This report presents the results of our independent performance audit of the U.S. Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) information security program and practices in
accordance with the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA). FISMA
requires Federal agencies, including EEOC, to have an annual independent evaluation performed
of their information security programs and practices to determine the effectiveness of such
programs and practices, and to report the results of the evaluation to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The EEOC Office of
Inspector General (OIG) contracted with Harper, Rains, Knight & Company, PA (HRK) to conduct
a performance audit of EEOC's information security program and practices for Fiscal Year (FY)
2024.
On November 5, 2024, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) received a request from your office
to provide information on how the OIG handles investigations and settlements of sexual
harassment claims. Below is the information you requested—your questions are listed in italics
with our information bold.
I am pleased to submit our Semiannual Report to the US Congress, summarizing the work and
accomplishments of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Office of Inspector
General from April 1, 2024, to September 30, 2024.
During this reporting period, the OIG continued to accomplish its primary objective to detect and
prevent fraud, waste, and abuse within the EEOC.
I am quite proud to announce that our office has issued its latest Strategic Plan for FY 2024 - 2028.
In developing this strategic plan, we aligned our goals and objectives with the intent of the
Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 and the Government Performance and Results
Act Modernization Act of 2010. We partnered strategically with our internal and external
stakeholders to assist in the identification of innovative approaches and methods to help enhance
the Agency’s program and operational effectiveness and efficiency. We will continue to work
internally in our office and with our external stakeholders to identify areas of change associated
with mission attainment and strategic vision.
I would like to thank the OIG's dedicated team of talented professionals. Their resilience and
flexibility during the reporting period allowed the OIG to continue its vigilance in detecting and
preventing waste, fraud, abuse, and enhancing effectiveness and efficiency in the Agency’s
operations and programs.
Finally, I would also like to thank Chair Burrows, the EEOC Commissioners, senior Agency
leadership, and their staff for their ongoing cooperation and Congress's continuing support of the
OIG's mission.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) contracted with the independent certified public accounting firm of Harper, Rains, Knight & Company, P.A. (HRK) to audit the financial statements of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for fiscal years ended September 30, 2024, and 2023, and to report on EEOC's internal controls over financial reporting, and compliance with laws, regulations, contracts, and other matters. The contract required that HRK conduct the audit in accordance with U.S. generally accepted government auditing standards (GAGAS) contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) audit guidance, and U.S. Government Accountability Office/Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency Financial Audit Manual.
The Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act of 1982 (FMFIA), P.L. 97-255, as well as the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Circular A-123, Management’s Responsibility for Enterprise Risk Management and Internal Control, M-16-17 establish specific requirements for management control. Each executive agency must establish controls to reasonably ensure that: (1) obligations and costs are compliant with applicable law; (2) funds, property, and other assets are safeguarded against waste, loss, unauthorized use, or misappropriation; and (3) revenues and expenditures applicable to agency operations are properly recorded and accounted for to permit the preparation of accounts and reliable financial and statistical reports and to maintain accountability over the assets.
On March 11, 2024, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) received a request from your office to review nondisclosure policies, forms, agreements, and related documents specific to the U.S Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC or Agency) to ensure the anti-gag provision is included as required by law.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee. Many states and localities have laws prohibiting employment discrimination and have their own agencies responsible for enforcing those laws. These agencies are often referred to as Fair Employment Practices Agencies (FEPA/FEPAs). The EEOC’s Office of Field Programs (OFP) manages the State, Local, and Tribal Programs (SLTP) that provide oversight of employment discrimination cases handled by FEPAs to ensure that EEOC standards are met for those cases.
We recommend that EEOC defines, communicates, and implements an organization-
wide SCRM strategy to guide supply chain analyses, provide communication channels
with internal/external partners and stakeholders, and assist in building consensus
regarding the appropriate resources for SCRM.
We recommend that the Office of the Chief Financial Officer of the U.S. Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission enhance the documentation, monitoring, and
enforcement of its controls over the closure of charge card accounts.