Hello, goodbye

Welcome back to an old friend, and goodbye to one we wish we'd had longer.

President Trump has reappointed Democrat Chai Feldblum to another term on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Commissioner Feldblum was initially appointed to the EEOC by President Obama, and her term was set to expire July 1, 2018. She will now continue on the EEOC (barring anything unforeseen) until July 2023.

Chai Feldblum

Commissioner Feldblum is a particularly strong advocate for LGBT rights (and she is the first openly lesbian member of the Commission) and for the rights of individuals with disabilities. According to her EEOC bio, she also has a disability.

Meanwhile, the EEOC seems to be rocking along with Republican Victoria Lipnic as Acting Chair. I don't know when the Senate will vote on confirmation of President Trump's other EEOC nominees, Janet Dhillon (who would replace Ms. Lipnic as EEOC Chair) and Daniel Gade. Trying to hustle through the tax plan before Senator-Elect Doug Jones (D-AL) takes office may make it even harder to get a prompt vote on Ms. Dhillon and Dr. Gade.

And a fond farewell to Philip Miscimarra, Chairman of the National Labor Relations Board, who will be leaving the Board this Saturday (December 16). That will put the NLRB back at a 2-2 Republican-Democrat tie.

Philip Miscimarra

The President is reportedly considering John Ring to fill the vacancy that will be created by Chairman Miscimarra's departure. Mr. Ring is a management-side labor attorney in the Washington, D.C., office of Morgan Lewis & Bockius, LLP, the law firm from which Chairman Miscimarra came. As of right now, it isn't clear whether Mr. Ring (assuming he is the nominee and is confirmed) would become the new Chairman, or whether the President would appoint one of the current Republican Board members -- William Emanuel or Marvin Kaplan -- to take the Chairmanship.

Image Credits: Official U.S. government photos.

Robin Shea has 30 years' experience in employment litigation, including Title VII and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (including the Amendments Act). 
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