The U.S. Dept. of Labor’s $104.5 billion budget request for 2010 includes a plan to hire 997 new employees, including about 670 investigators. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s 2010 budget request also proposes adding to the 646 investigators in fiscal year 2008 so that the agency will have a projected 831 investigators by the end of fiscal year 2010. Both DOL and EEOC budget requests included statements signaling increased emphasis on enforcement. DOL says its request will restore enforcement staffing in wage-hour and occupational safety and health programs.

According to the EEOC budget proposal, “Revitalizing the Commission’s capacity to perform its law enforcement function is a top priority for the Commission.” EEOC says it plans to increase capacity “to effectively investigate, conciliate, and litigate a growing number of charges” and augment enforcement of Title VII, the ADEA (Age Discrimination in Employment Act), the EPA (Equal Pay Act), the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and GINA (Genetic Information Non-discrimination Act).