Informal Discussion Letters
The following letters are written by staff in the Office of Legal Counsel. They do not constitute official opinions of the Commission. This collection contains both informal discussion letters that respond to inquiries from members of the public and letters that respond to other federal agencies' and departments' requests for public comment. This collection will be updated monthly.
2019
- ADA/Rehabilitation Act & GINA: Acquisition and Confidentiality of Protected Medical and Genetic Information 4/25/19
- ADA/Rehab Act: Definition of Disability 1/30/19
2018
- ADA/GINA: Confidentiality of Protected Medical and Genetic Information 12/12/18
- ADA/Rehab Act & GINA: Confidentiality of Protected Medical and Genetic Information 10/29/18
- ADA/Rehab Act & Title VII: Definition of Disability; Definition of Undue Hardship for Religious Accommodation 10/15/18
- ADA: Applicants and Reasonable Accommodation 8/15/18
- ADA: Disability-Related Inquiries; State Laws 7/13/18
- Americans with Disabilities Act 7/10/18
2017
- ADEA: BFOQ - Mandatory Retirement/FAA Age 65 Rule - Corporate Pilots 12/18/17
- ADA/Rehab Act: Revised Definitions under the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 7/7/17
2016
- ADA and GINA: Applicability of Incentive Limits for Employer Wellness Programs 8/31/16
- ADA and GINA: Calculating Incentive Limits for Employer Wellness Programs 7/1/16
- Title VII/Conviction Policy/Comments on Similar Proposed State Regulations 4/7/16
- Title VII/Conviction Policy/Prison Inmate/Religion/Work Program 3/26/16
- Title VII/EPA: Proposed Revision to EEO-1 Report 2/18/16
- Title VII: Conviction Policy 1/11/16
2015
- Title VII and Other EEOC Enforced Laws: General Inquiry 12/15/15
- ADA: Benefits and Privileges of Employment 12/09/15
- ADA: Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations 10/1/15
- Rehabilitation Act: Affirmative Action 09/17/15
- Title VII and Other EEOC Enforced Laws: Harassment/Striking Employees/NLRA 09/11/15
- Rehabilitation Act: Qualification Standards 09/4/15
- ADA/Rehab Act: Revised Definitions under the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 08/21/15
- State and Local Government Employer Pay Discrimination: Title VII, Equal Pay Act, ADEA 8/10/15
- Title VII/ADEA/GINA: Know Your Rights Pamphlet 7/6/15
- ADA/Rehab Act: Revised Definitions under the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 6/29/15
- ADA/Rehab Act: Revised Definitions under the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 6/15/15
- Title VII/Background Checks/ Applicant Filing EEO Lawsuit 6/11/15
- Title VII/Conviction Records/Federal Banking Regulations 5/28/15
- Title VII/Conviction Policy/Prison Inmate 2/6/15
2014
- ADEA/Medicare Eligibility 12/22/14
- GINA: FMLA Forms and GINA Confidentiality and Disclosure Provisions 11/10/14
- Title VII/GINA: Agency Discrimination Complaint Form 10/28/14
- ADA/Reasonable Accommodation/Federal Government 10/27/14
- ADEA/Medicare Eligibility 10/27/14
- Equal Pay/ Statute of Limitations 9/29/14
- ADA: Qualification standards; Permanent Abstention from Drinking Alcohol 8/28/14
- GINA: Agency Discrimination Complaint Form 8/5/14
- GINA and ADA: State and Local Government Employers; Requesting Family Medical History; Disability-Related Inquiries 4/21/14
- GINA: FAA Medical Standards and Clearance for Air Traffic Control Specialists 4/10/14
- ADA: Confidentiality; Pre-Offer Inquiries; Reasonable Accommodation 3/31/14
- GINA & the Rehabilitation Act: State Department Medical Clearance Process 3/27/14
- Title VII/ Conviction Policy/ Prison Inmate 3/10/14
- ADA: Reasonable Accommodation 2/25/14
- Title VII: Discrimination Based on Religion 2/12/14
- ADA: Qualification Standards; Federal Vision Standards Applicable to Drivers of Commercial Motor Vehicles 1/13/14
2013
- GINA & the Rehabilitation Act: State Department Medical Clearance Update 12/23/13
- Title VII & the Rehabilitation Act: Request for, and Use of, Criminal, Financial, and Health-Related Information 12/16/13
- Section 1614 Regulations: Processing Federal "Mixed Case" Complaints 12/09/13
- Rehabilitation Act & GINA: The Use and Disclosure of Health-Related Information 12/04/13
- Title VII /Sex/BFOQ/Caregiver 11/22/13
- Title VII /Conviction Policy/Prison Inmate 11/20/13
- Equal Pay Act/ Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force 10/28/13
- Title VII/Conviction Policy/Prison Inmate/Veterans 10/24/13
- ADA: Sign Language Interpreters 10/28/13
- Title VII and the ADA: Integrity Tests 9/9/13
- ADA, Title VII, & ADEA: Work Opportunity Tax Credit, IRS Form 8850 & ETA Form 9061 9/9/13
- ADEA: Accounting Firm Partner Coverage 7/29/13
- ADEA: Accounting Firm Partner Coverage 7/25/13
- TITLE VII: Vaccination Policies, Religious Accommodation 7/24/13
- ADEA: NEH proposed rule implementing the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 7/8/13
- ADEA: Hiring/Federal Sector Complaint Process 5/28/13
- Title VII & Rehabilitation Act: The Use of Criminal and Credit History; Disability-Related Inquiries 4/19/13
- Rehabilitation Act: Reasonable Accommodation 4/15/13
- Title VII/Race/National Origin/Hiring/Criminal Record 4/4/13
- Rehabilitation Act/GINA: Confidentiality of Medical/Genetic Information 2/27/13
- Title VII/Race/Termination/Harassment/Criminal Record 2/26/13
- Title VII, Rehabilitation Act, & GINA: Use of Criminal History; Medical Inquiries 2/11/13
- Federal EEO Laws: MSPB - Mixed Case Appeals 2/1/13
- ADA: Voluntary Wellness Programs & Reasonable Accommodation Obligations 1/18/13
2012
- Rehabilitation Act/GINA: Confidentiality of Medical/Genetic Information 12/17/12
- Title VII: Use of Conviction Records 12/6/12
- Title VII: Vaccination Polices and Reasonable Accommodation 12/5/12
- EEOC Gov't-wide Records System; Rehabilitation Act/GINA: Confidentiality of Medical/Genetic Information 11/9/12
- ADA & ADEA: Hiring Practices 11/5/12
- Title VII: Vaccination Policies, Covered Entities, Religious Accommodation 11/2/12
- Rehabilitation Act: Confidentiality of Medical Information 11/2/12
- Title VII, ADA, GINA & ADEA: Video Interview 11/2/12
- ADEA: Coverage Begins at Age 40 10/3/12
- Title VII: Harassment by Third Party Members of the Public 10/1/12
- Rehabilitation Act: Confidentiality of Medical Information 9/10/12
- ADA: DOT Restrictions on Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators 7/24/12
- ADA & Title VII: High School Diploma Requirement and Disparate Impact 6/11/12
- GINA: Forensic Lab Exception to Rules Prohibiting Acquisition of Genetic Information 6/6/2012
- Rehabilitation Act, GINA, Title VII, and the ADEA: Peace Corps - Medical Inquiries on Application for Volunteers 4/26/2012
- Title VII: Coverage of Employers 3/27/2012
- Title VII: Religious Accommodation 3/12/2012
- Title VII: Conviction Records 2/29/2012
- Federal EEO Laws: Hiring Incentives 2/29/2012
2011
- Title VII: EPA Information Collection Request - Background Checks 12/19/2011
- Federal EEO Laws: When Interns May Be Employees 12/8/2011
- ADA: Qualification Standards; Disparate Impact 11/17/11
- GINA & Rehabilitation Act: State Department Forms - Medical History and Examination for Foreign Service 10/11/11
- ADEA: Age-Based Pension Calculations 10/06/11
- Title VII: Criminal Records; Comment on Peace Corps Volunteer Application 9/7/11
- ADA: Definition Of Disability Under ADAAA 8/12/11
- ADEA: Coordinating Medicare with Current Employees' Benefits 8/2/11
- ADA & GINA: Incentives For Workplace Wellness Programs 6/24/11
- Title VII: Criminal History & U.S. Census Bureau's Hiring Practices 6/17/11
- ADA & GINA: Confidentiality Requirements 5/31/11
- Rehabilitation Act and Title VII: Applicant Screening using Disability-related Inquiries, Criminal History Inquiries, and Financial History Inquiries in SF 85P and SF 85P-S 3/8/11
- Federal EEO Laws: Strategic Plan for Federal Youth Policy 1/20/11
- Record Keeping: Records kept by Contractor/Third party 1/11/11
2010
- Title VII: Criminal History & Arrest Records, Optional Form 306 & Standard Form 85 12/1/10
- Federal EEO Laws: Training for YouthBuild Transfer Act Participants 10/21/10
- ADEA: Disparate Impact & RFOA in the Federal Sector 10/6/10
- Title VII: Use of Conviction Records and the S.A.F.E. Act 9/22/10
- ADA, GINA, Title VII & ADEA: Video Resumes 9/21/10
- ADA, Title VII, & ADEA: Work Opportunity Tax Credit, IRS Form 8850 & ETA Form 9061 9/15/10
- Title VII: Criminal Records 9/10/10
- ADA, Title VII, & ADEA: Work Opportunity Tax Credit, IRS Form 8850 7/28/2010
- Title VII: ADEA, & ADA: Qualification Standards and Disparate Impact 5/19/2010
- Rehab Act: Reasonable Accommodation - Requests; Supporting Medical Documentation 3/16/2010
- Title VII: Employer Use of Credit Checks 3/9/2010
- Title VII: Disparate Impact of Education Requirements 2/19/2010
- ADA: Confidentiality of Medical Information 2/18/2010
- Title VII: Indian Preference 1/4/2010
2009
- Title VII: Religious Discrimination - Religious Accommodation - Sex Discrimination 11/20/2009
- Non-EEOC Issue: Federal Financial Assistance 10/13/2009
- ADEA & EPA: Insurance Coverage for Statutory Violations 9/28/2009
- ADA: Health Risk Assessments 8/10/2009
- Title VII: Customer Preference 3/9/2009
- ADA: Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations; Health Risk Assessment 3/6/2009
- ADA: Post-Offer, Pre-Employment Medical Exams 2/26/2009
2008
- Title VII: Employer Questionnaire on Applicant Gender, Race and Ethnicity Data 10/15/2008
- Title VII: Religious Discrimination - HHS Provider Conscience Regulation 9/24/2008
- ADA: Medical Exams and Inquiries 9/10/2008
- Title VII: Nondiscrimination Exemptions - Indian Preference - Indian Employment Tax Credit 8/19/2008
- ADEA: RETIREE HEALTH 8/11/2008
- Title VII: E-Verify - Federal Contractors/Subcontractors - Memorandum of Understanding 7/21/2008
- Title VII and ADA: Applicant Screening and Interviews 7/15/2008
- ADA: Illegal Drug Use 6/24/2008
- Title VII: EEO-1 Form Filing Requirements 6/23/2008
- TITLE VII/ADEA/ADA/EPA: Mandatory Arbitration 5/20/2008
- ADA: "Bona Fide" Job Offer 5/5/2008
- Title VII & ADEA: Job Advertisements 4/8/2008
- ADA: Disability-Related Inquiries; Hiring 3/31/2008
- Title VII: Application to Inmate Work Programs 3/28/2008
- ADA: Definition of "Disability"; Reasonable Accommodation; Employee Misconduct 3/27/2008
- Title VII: Use of Conviction Records in Hiring 3/27/2008
- ADA: FMLA; Reasonable Accommodation---Leave; Medical Exams and Inquiries 3/25/2008
- REHAB ACT: ADA Standards - Medical Examinations - Medical Disqualification 2/25/2008
- ADA: Periodic Testing 2/15/2008
2007
- Title VII - Religious Organization Exception 12/28/2007
- ADA: Sign Language Interpreters for Employer-provided Training 10/29/2007
- ADA: Chemical Sensitivity as a Possible Disability - Reasonable Accommodation 10/1/2007
- Title VII: UGESP; Validation Standards 9/24/2007
- Title VII: Affirmative Action Plans; OFCCP; As Employer Defense 9/18/2007
- ADA: Direct Threat - Confidentiality of Medical Information - Lying on an EEOC Document 8/23/2007
- ADA: Reasonable Accommodation 8/2/2007
- ADA: Work Opportunity Tax Credit - IRS Form 8850 7/24/07
- Rehabilitation Act: Pre-employment Inquiries - Workers' Compensation - Alcohol Use
Title VII: Pre-employment Inquiries - Job Relatedness 7/23/07 - ADEA: Job Advertisements Seeking Older Workers7/11/07
- Title VII/ADA/ADEA/EPA: Statutes Enforced, Charge/Claim Statistics Kept 7/7/2007
- Title VII: Sex Discrimination/Coverage of Transgendered 5/25/07
- Title VII: Affirmative Action 4/26/07
- ADEA: Time to Consider/Revoke Waiver Agreement 4/18/07
- Rehabilitation Act: Disability-Related Inquiries 4/9/2007
- ADA: Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examination 3/28/2007
- Title VII: Arrest and Conviction Records; Rehabilitation Act: Alcoholism - Illegal Drug Use 3/19/2007
- ADA: FMLA-Privacy of Medical Information-Reasonable Accommodation 2/16/2007
- ADA: Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Exams 2/2/2007
- Title VII: Pregnancy Discrimination in Job Interviews 2/2/2007
- ADA: Reasonable Accommodation 1/9/2007
- Rehabilitation Act: Periodic Testing 1/5/2007
2006
- ADA: Mitigating Measures 12/4/2006
- ADEA: Mandatory Retirement/FAA Age 60 Rule 12/4/2006
- ADA: Individualized Assessment - Reasonable Accommodation - U.S. DOT Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular 11/22/2006
- ADEA: BFOQ-Individualized Assessment/FAA Age 60 Rule 11/15/06
- Title VII: Religious Organizations/Hiring Co-religionists 11/14/06
- Coordination/EEO Practices and DOL VETS Report 10/5/06
- ADA/Rehabilitation Act: Confidentiality/EEO Process 9/27/06
- Title VII: Affirmative Action 8/17/06
- Title VII/National Origin Discrimination/Immigration Issues 8/14/06
- ADEA: Retiree Health 7/31/06
- Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Agency's Regulations Prohibiting Discrimination on the Basis of Disability; Terminology / Employment Provisions 6/26/06
- ADA/Drivers License/Essential Functions/Reasonable Accommodation 6/21/06
- ADA: Truck Drivers with Diabetes / Medical Screening Rules / Safety 6/6/06
- Title VII/ADEA Pre-employment Inquiries 5/9/06
- Title VII/Advertising/Affirmative Action/Diversity 4/28/06
- ADA: Diabetic Truck Drivers / Medical Screening Rules / Safety 1/9/06
- National Origin Classification 1/27/06
- National Origin Classification 1/19/06
- Title VII/ADA/ADEA Recordkeeping 1/19/06
2005
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations 2/22/05
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations 1/13/05
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations - Pre-Offer 11/8/05
- ADA Reasonable Accommodation 3/3/05
- ADA and Title VII - Disability Retirement Benefits 7/25/05
- ADEA-Pre-employment Inquiries 4/11/05
- ADEA - Retiree Health 11/9/05
- Employment Advertisements 2/29/05
- Disability-Related Questions Directed to Employees 8/31/05
- Internet Hiring 10/27/05
- Jurisdiction; Federal Employee Unions 5/17/05
- Title VII and ADA Hiring/Job Requirements/Job Descriptions 6/21/05
- Title VII Arrest & Conviction Records 12/1/05
- Title VII Arrest & Conviction Records (Youth at Work) 12/26/05
- Title VII - BFOQ Psychotherapy 8/22/05
- Title VII Citizenship 2/4/05
- Title VII Credit Reports 2/14/05
- Title VII 9/7/05
- Title VII - Medical Documentation in English 4/8/05
- Title VII Religious Discrimination
ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations 3/10/05 - Title VII UGESP 3/3/05
2004
- ADA Title VII ADEA Work Opportunity Tax Credit 4/29/04
- ADA Confidentiality 6/17/04
- ADA/Disparate treatment/reasonable accommodation 1/23/04
- ADA Essential Functions/Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations of Applicants 6/3/04
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations of Employees 10/5/04
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations of Employees 9/10/04
- ADA Reasonable Accommodation 3/23/04
- ADEA Physical Exams 12/20/04
- ADEA Retiree Health 5/21/04
- ADEA Retiree Health 7/15/04
- ADEA Retiree Health 8/19/04
- ADEA Retiree Health 8/19/04
- ADEA Retiree Health 12/16/04
- ADEA Retiree Health 5/20/04
- All Statutes Pre-employment Inquiries 12/23/04
- Federal EEO Laws Limitations Period 7/12/04
- The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Disability/ Complaint Processing; Section 508 1/23/04
- Religious Organization/Religious BFOQ 3/8/04
- Title VII / ADA Recordkeeping Responsibilities for Electronic Resumes with Video Clips / Employer Knowledge of Ethnicity, Gender, and Disability Prior to Interview 10/5/04
- Title VII Conviction Records 12/14/04
- Title VII Coverage 11/30/04
- Title VII Religious Expression 12/21/04
2003
- ADA Definition of Disability-Sleep Apnea 8/5/03
- ADA 12/17/03
- ADA Pre-Offer Medical Exams 7/1/03
- ADEA Age 60 Rule 2/5/03
- ADEA Age/Pension/Cash Balance 3/10/03
- ADEA Employee Ranking 4/25/03
- ADEA Retiree Health 6/3/03
- ADEA Age/Reverse Age Discrimination 10/28/03
- ADEA Severance Pay/Retiree Health 3/21/03
- Coverage of Americans Overseas 11/4/03
- Employment Overseas 12/3/03
- Harassment Policy 9/26/03
- Non-EEOC Issue 12/10/03
- Non-EEOC Issue 12/3/03
- Retaliation 12/8/03
- Title VII, ADA, and SARS 6/4/03
- Title VII-Conviction Records 10/7/03
- Title VII Pre-employment Inquiries 8/14/03
- Title VII Religion/Social Security Numbers 7/14/03
2002
- ADA Confidentiality of Medical Information 2/26/02
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations 5/21/02
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries And Medical Examinations 12/10/02
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries And Medical Examinations 12/15/02
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations 2/14/02
- ADA Reasonable Accommodation 6/7/02
- ADA Reasonable Accommodation 7/18/02
- ADA Reasonable Accommodation 4/23/02
- ADA Work Opportunity Tax Credit 5/28/02
- ADEA Benefits 6/31/02
- ADEA Comments on Cash Balance Regulation 10/8/02
- ADEA Liability Insurance 7/25/02
- Title VII/ADA Pre-employment Inquiry 8/5/02
- Title VII BFOQ 3/5/02
- Title VII Pre-employment Inquiries 6/12/02
- Title VII Non-covered Employer 8/6/02
- Title VII Religion-Social Security Numbers 5/29/02
2001
- ADA Definition of "Disability" 8/6/01
- ADA Drug and Alcohol Testing 7/16/01
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations, Confidentiality of Medical Information 5/4/01
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations 5/4/01
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations 8/3/01
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Exminations 8/6/01
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Eaminations 8/6/01
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations 2/14/01
- ADA Hiring Discrimination; Disability Related Inquiries And Medical Examination; Work Opportunity Tax Credit 5/18/01
- ADA Insulin-Treated Diabetes/Truck Drivers 9/24/01
- ADA Job Related and Consistent with Business Necessity / Direct Threat 3/16/01
- ADA Qualification Standards; Hiring Discrimination 1/19/01
- ADA Reasonable Accommodation 6/20/01
- ADA Reasonable Accommodation 8/6/01
- ADA Reasonable Accommodation 8/16/01
- ADA Reasonable Accommodation 9/27/01
- ADA Reasonable Accommodation 4/25/01
- ADA Work Opportunity Tax Credit 10/15/01
- ADEA Benefits 6/22/01
- ADEA Benefits 6/22/01
- ADEA Benefits 4/26/01
- Age Other Benefits 1/23/01
- ADEA State Immunity 4/2/01
- Title VII / ADA Health Insurance And Other Benefits 4/2/01
- Title VII, ADEA, And ADA Hiring Discrimination, Work Opportunity Tax Credit 5/17/01
- Title VII Contraception 11/2/01
- Title VII Contraception 4/6/01
- Title VII Disparate Impact, Handwriting Analysis 2/28/01
- Title VII Relationship of FCRA to Harassment 2/8/01
- Title VII Preemployment Inquiries 3/27/01
- Title VII National Origin 8/24/01
- Title VII Undocumented Workers 4/2/01
2000
- ADA Confidentiality of Medical Information 12/1/00
- ADA Confidentiality of Medical Information 3/21/00
- ADA Definition of Disability - In General 7/19/00
- ADA Definition of Disability - In General 2/29/00
- ADA Definition of Disability 9/28/00
- Definition of Disability - Infertility; Health Insurance and other Benefits 1/11/00
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations 2/11/00
- ADA Hiring Discrimination; Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations 2/29/00
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations; Hiring Discrimination 8/4/00
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations 8/11/00
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations 11/7/00
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations; Hiring Discrimination 11/7/00
- ADA Disability Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations 1/14/00
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations; Terms and Conditions of Employment 11/7/00
- ADA Health Insurance and Other Benefits 6/15/00
- ADA Reasonable Accommodation; ADEA Disparate Treatment 8/15/00
- ADEA Suits Against States 2/25/00
- ADA Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical
Title VII, ADEA Preemployment Inquiries 5/31/00 - ADA/Title VII Pre-employment Inquiries 12/11/00
- ADA Workers' Compensation; Health Insurance and Other Benefits 1/28/00
- ADEA Age Discrimination 2/7/00
- ADEA - Disparate Treatment 1/8/00
- Age / Mandatory Retirement 2/2/00
- Title VII Conviction Records; Federal Employment 2/25/00
- Title VII Disparate Impact 2/29/00
- Title VII Equal Pay Act 1/31/00
- Title VII / Equal Pay Act - Wage Discrimination 8/7/00
- Title VII Other 4/13/00
- Title VII Sexual Harassment 1/27/00
- Title VII Undocumented Workers 1/31/00
- Title VII Undocumented Workers 2/29/00
1999