President Joe Biden’s pick to fill a soon-to-be vacant seat on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission told lawmakers her experience as a civil rights litigator would be central to her work on the commission.
Kalpana Kotagal, currently a civil rights attorney at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, said in testimony before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Tuesday that her approach to the role would be informed by her experience as a litigator. In particular, she pointed to her experience representing workers in cases of pregnancy discrimination, disability discrimination, pay discrimination, and discrimination on the basis of gender identity as inspiration for her top priorities as a commissioner.
Kotagal said she has an extensive background as a litigator, and views litigation as a “crucial” part of what the EEOC does to enforce workplace anti-bias laws.
Biden announced last month his intent to nominate Kotagal to the EEOC to replace Republican Commissioner Janet Dhillon, whose term expires in July. If confirmed, Kotagal would give Democrats the majority on the five-member panel, allowing the agency to advance more progressive policies on Biden’s agenda.
Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) asked Kotagal if she would support the EEOC continuing to publicly disclose agency business, including litigation....
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