美国劳工联合会与两名女性狱警周二起诉美国平等就业机会委员会（EEOC），指控其非法下令无限期暂停所有联邦部门的集体诉讼案件[1]。诉讼由来自路易斯安那州联邦监狱的监狱官员Deanna Chelette和Alexzandria Boyd提起，她们声称EEOC冻结了她们针对监狱系统性骚扰的集体诉讼[1]。
两名女性指控监狱管理层未能制止被监禁人员对女性工作人员的广泛性骚扰，骚扰行为包括强奸威胁、不必要的身体接触和暴露行为[1]。该集体案件预计涉及至少182名女性[1]。行政法官Erania Ebron于2025年3月认证了这一集体案件，但在12月发布通知暂停该案件[1]。
EEOC未公开披露暂停指令的原因，也未透露受影响案件的数量[1]。律师表示他们代理至少五起其他被搁置的联邦工作人员集体诉讼，涉及FBI和国防部等机构[1]。EEOC主席Andrea Lucas表示追求"公平对待"和"色盲"的工作场所民权愿景[1]。
The American Federation of Labor and two female correctional officers filed suit Tuesday against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging the agency has illegally suspended all class action complaints involving federal agencies.[1] The lawsuit was brought by Deanna Chelette and Alexzandria Boyd, officers at a federal prison in Louisiana, who claim the EEOC issued an indefinite moratorium on collective complaints filed by federal employees.[1]
The two women's original complaint centered on systematic sexual harassment within the federal prison system, including threats of rape, unwanted physical contact, and indecent exposure by incarcerated individuals directed at female staff members.[1] An administrative law judge named Erania Ebron certified the class action in March 2025, but an order suspending the case was issued in December, leaving it stalled for seven months.[1] The lawsuit estimates the affected class includes at least 182 women.[1]
The EEOC has not publicly disclosed the reasoning behind the suspension directive or revealed how many cases have been impacted.[1] Attorneys representing the plaintiffs report they are handling at least five other frozen federal employee class actions, involving complaints against the FBI and Department of Defense.[1] EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas has articulated a workplace civil rights vision centered on "fair treatment" and "colorblind" workplaces.[1]