Kalpana Kotagal

@kotagaleeoc.bsky.social

Commissioner of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Views are my own and should not be attributed to the EEOC or any other Commissioner.

Today is Black Women’s Equal Pay Day, representing how far into the current year a Black woman must work to earn what White, non-Hispanic men earned in the previous year. Black women working full-time, year-round are paid only 65 cents for every dollar White men make.

Today, the Commission held a public meeting on a proposal to rescind EEO-1 through EEO-6 demographic data collection. A full transcript from the meeting will be available online. See a truncated version of my public remarks here: t.ly/rM3io

EEO-1 Remarks | Kalpana Kotagal

Today, the Commission held a public meeting on a proposal to rescind EEO-1 through EEO-6 demographic data collection. A truncated version of my public remarks is attached. A transcript from the meetin...

t.ly

Last week, the EEOC filed suit against an auto parts manufacturer alleging the company required applicants to provide genetic information (family medical history) in violation of GINA. The suit arises from a Commissioner Charge I filed on behalf of aggrieved individuals.

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of participating in the 2026 ACS National Convention closing plenary panel. I greatly appreciated our discussion about the role that each and every person can play to “stay in the fight” and effectuate positive change.

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Tomorrow is Juneteenth—commemorating the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas finally got word that they were free. I honor the resilience of Black Americans & their ancestors who have triumphed & thrived in the face of immense systemic oppression.

Today is LGBTQIA+ Equal Pay Awareness Day. Studies show that LGBTQ+ workers are paid between 10% - 32% less than their straight and cisgender counterparts. Those wage gaps compound for trans women, non-binary individuals, and LGBTQ+ workers of color.

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. This year's theme is “Power in Unity: Strengthening Communities Together.” As the first female @USEEOC Commissioner of Indian descent, I'm honored to serve AANHPI workers and communities.

In April, I had the pleasure of visiting Raleigh, North Carolina as part of the U.S. EEOC's REACH Initiative. I met with local advocates, leaders, workers, and law students to discuss the work of the agency & learn how the agency can do better to meet their needs.

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We couldn't agree more with Commissioner Kotagal, who voted against the EEOC's recent decision that asserts that the categorical denial of insurance coverage for trans-related health care is not sex discrimination. REMINDER: the EEOC's ruling is NOT binding on federal courts.

“[This decision] disregards the law, ignores medical consensus, and treats transgender people as second-class citizens.” EEOC Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal on EEOC's Sam T. v. Kupor decision that asserts that the categorical denial of insurance coverage for transgender-related health care is not sex discrimination. Read Commissioner Kotagal's dissent at the link in our bio.

Today is #EqualPayDay - a yearly reminder that the fight for wage justice persists. On average, women make 76¢ for every dollar men make, and the gap is even worse for women of color. And we are moving backward: in 2024, the gender wage gap widened for the second year in a row.

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Happy #InternationalWomensDay! While global gender gaps in economic participation & opportunity have narrowed, we can do more to foster women's equitable participation in our workforces. Inclusive leadership pipelines, support for childcare & more can help women thrive at work.

Gender Gap Report 2025

Global Gender Gap Index 2025 benchmarks gender parity across 148 economies, offering trend analysis, key findings, and insights into progress since 2006.

weforum.org

Happy Women's History Month! I'd like to start off the month by honoring a living monument of women's history; Mexican-American feminist, activist & labor organizer, Dolores Huerta. She co-founded United Farm Workers in 1962 - now the largest farmworker organization in the U.S.

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I had a great visit to the U.S. EEOC Chicago office as part of the agency's REACH Initiative. I met with workers, law students & local advocates to discuss the work of the agency & learn how the agency can better meet the needs of vulnerable workers in the area.

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Happy Black History Month! 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of national Black history commemorations, thanks to Dr. Carter Woodson's leadership in 1926 & beyond. The week-long celebration Woodson created evolved into the Black History Month we know today: www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

As Black History Month Turns 100, a Look Back at How It Began

Black History Month has been celebrated in the United States for close to 100 years but what is it exactly and how did it begin?

nytimes.com

The EEOC has been an enforcer of workers’ civil rights for 6 decades. Our career staff continue that vital work. Our Office of General Counsel is hiring. I encourage attorneys who are committed to enforcing the civil rights laws and to protecting workers across the country to apply. lnkd.in/eP_GPBDV

USAJOBS connects job seekers with federal jobs across the United States and around the world as the official employment site for the federal government

As a Trial Attorney (Civil Rights) at the GS-0905-13/14, you will be part of the Office of General Counsel, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. If selected, you will have the full range of respon...

lnkd.in