Full Breakdown
AFGE Sues EEOC Over Unpublished Directive Halting Federal Class-Action Cases
7/29/2026, 4:25:31 AM
Core Event
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenging an unpublished directive issued by EEOC Chairwoman Andrea Lucas that has suspended all class-action discrimination and harassment proceedings involving federal agencies for more than six months. The union argues the directive violates EEOC regulations that encourage class actions as a faster, cheaper means of addressing workplace discrimination.
Background & Context
EEOC regulations require that class-action complaints “shall be processed promptly” and view class actions as a cost-effective alternative to individual filings. Since the undisclosed directive was issued in December 2025, EEOC administrative judges have placed indefinite stays on certifications, hearings, and discovery in every federal-sector class case.
Union Claims and Impact
AFGE’s complaint, filed alongside correctional-officer class members Deanna Chelette and Alexzandria Boyd, asserts that the EEOC’s action leaves thousands of federal employees without a path to pursue discrimination claims. The class certified in March 2025 includes roughly 200 correctional officers alleging pervasive sexual harassment by inmates at the Federal Correctional Complex in Pollock, Louisiana. The union contends that because class members cannot opt out, individuals who might be covered by a class are barred from filing separate administrative or judicial claims while the class remains frozen.
Official Statements & Verbatim Quote
The EEOC has not published the directive nor offered a public explanation, and the union’s filing notes the absence of any procedure for case-specific review or a termination date.
- “Effective immediately, all case processing in the above-captioned matter must be paused until further notice,” — EEOC Administrative Judge Erania
The lawsuit alleges that the EEOC’s action is “arbitrary and capricious” and violates the Administrative Procedure Act by lacking transparency and a clear authority for the suspension.
What’s Next
AFGE seeks a court order compelling the EEOC to rescind the directive and resume processing of all pending federal-sector class-action cases. The district court’s decision will determine whether the EEOC must provide a published rationale and a pathway for affected employees to pursue their claims.
