The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently approved a new National Enforcement Plan (NEP) for Fiscal Years 2025–2029, replacing the agency’s prior Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP) for Fiscal Years 2024–2028.
At first glance, the change in terminology may seem minor. However, the shift from a “Strategic Enforcement Plan” to a “National Enforcement Plan” may reflect a broader move toward more centralized coordination, nationwide consistency, and aligned enforcement priorities across the agency.
According to the EEOC, the NEP will guide all aspects of the agency’s work, including outreach, public education, technical assistance, investigations, enforcement activity, and litigation.
One of the most notable themes throughout the new plan is its emphasis on a nationwide enforcement model. The document repeatedly references centralized coordination, collaboration across EEOC offices, and the ability to deploy resources nationally based on workload and enforcement priorities. The plan also withdraws prior district-level enforcement plans, signaling a move toward greater national consistency in enforcement strategy.
The NEP further highlights several key enforcement priorities, including:
• centralized national enforcement coordination,
• greater focus on intentional discrimination,
• increased attention to DEI-related employment practices,
• and increased emphasis on recent Supreme Court decisions on issues such as religious accommodation.
The implementation of the NEP signals a shift toward more centralized EEOC enforcement coordination, nationally aligned investigative priorities, and increased focus on selected areas of workplace discrimination enforcement.
Information about the NEP is available through the EEOC at:
https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/eeoc-releases-new-national-enforcement-plan