Palm Beach County Office of Equal Opportunity closed to the public to prevent the spread of COVID-19

In response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), effective immediately, the Palm Beach County Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) office is closed for walk-in visits but is still conducting intake interviews and assisting individuals over the telephone.  This action minimizes the health risks to County employees and the public while ensuring that no individual loses their rights under the laws that we enforce. Preserving access to being able to file a charge of discrimination or complaint is important because the laws the OEO enforces have deadlines within which individuals must file discrimination charges or complaints.

If you would like to begin the process of filing a charge or complaint of discrimination, you are encouraged to visit the OEO's website (www.pbcgov.com/equalopportunity) to complete the applicable questionnaire.  Additionally, you may also contact the OEO at (561)-355-4884 or (561)-355-1517 (TTY/TDD) to begin the process of filing a charge or complaint of discrimination or if you have a disability or you otherwise have difficulty with accessing our website.

For more information, please visit pbcgov.com/equalopportunity/ or contact Pamela Guerrier at (561)-355-4884 or Pguerrie@pbcgov.org.

Office of Equal Opportunity's Mission Statement

The Office of Equal Opportunity's (OEO) mission is to promote a discrimination free quality of life for Palm Beach County residents through educating and advocating a policy of nondiscrimination and enforcing local, state and federal civil rights laws.

OEO is responsible for investigating and resolving complaints of discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status or familial status and gender identity or expression. Additionally, OEO provides human relations training and referral services. OEO is a federally recognized equivalent agency under the federal civil rights laws - Title VII (employment discrimination cases) and Title VIII (fair housing cases). Through OEO, Palm Beach County residents have direct access to protection of civil rights laws.

OEO also is responsible for the County's Disability Accessibility program. This program assures that County government and countywide organizations and public facilities maintain compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act by enforcing the County's Handicapped Parking Program and helps to remedy discrimination against persons with disabilities in housing, access to facilities and services, employment and all other areas of equal access.

The Palm Beach County Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) is continuing to enforce equal employment, housing and places of public accommodation laws while ensuring that all of our activities are consistent with public health guidelines.
The OEO closed its physical office to the public but our work continues.  Preserving access to file a complaint of discrimination in employment, housing and places of public accommodation is important as the laws that the OEO enforces have deadlines within which individuals must file a discrimination complaint.

If you would like to begin the process of filing a charge or complaint of discrimination, you are encouraged to visit the OEO’s website (www.pbcgov.com/equalopportunity) to complete the applicable questionnaire.  Additionally, you may also contact the OEO at (561) 355-4884 or (561) 355-1517 (TTY/TDD) to begin the process of filing a charge; or complaint of discrimination; or if you have a disability; or you otherwise have difficulty with accessing the website.

Given these exigent circumstances, we request that you communicate with our office via email, facsimile, or telephone.  You may email correspondence to Kenette Penny-Baker at kpbaker@pbcgov.org or via facsimile to (561) 656-7026 and may contact our office at (561) 355-4884 or (561) 355-1517 (TTY/TDD).  While your procedures may require that you mail documents to our agency, we would appreciate if you email or fax documents to our office and we will confirm receipt of the correspondence.

If you have any questions or concerns about this request, please contact Pamela Guerrier, Director at (561) 355-4884 or via email at Pguerrie@pbcgov.org
We greatly appreciate your flexibility during this time.

​Office of Equal Opportunity Announces Additional Outreach Regarding Proposed Expansion for Equal Employment Protection

The county's current definition of “employer" protects employees and job applicants only where a person that is regularly engaged in an industry affecting commerce has 15 or more employees. Join the Office of Equal Opportunity for a virtual presentation on the proposed change to the county's Equal Employment Ordinance to revise that definition from 15 to 5 employees. 

Sessions are scheduled from 11 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Nov. 3, Friday, Nov. 6, Monday, Nov. 9 and Friday, Nov. 20 and from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10, Thursday, Nov. 12, Monday, Nov. 16 and Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. ​

Space is limited. Please RSVP to kpbaker@pbcgov.org.  Please note the date of the session you would like to attend in the subject line of the email.  Registration details will be emailed the day of the event for all registered attendees.  

For more details, please visit pbcgov.com/equalopportunity​ or contact Kenette Penny-Baker at 561-355-4927 or kpbaker@pbcgov.org  ​