The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
(EEOC) and CVS Caremark announced today the signing of a National
Universal Agreement to Mediate (NUAM) to informally resolve workplace
disputes through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) before an EEOC
investigation or potential litigation occurs.
The mediation partnership marks the 200th such national or regional
agreement between the EEOC and a large employer (mainly Fortune 500
companies) and bolsters a multi-year trend of corporate America signing
on to the EEOC’s widely acclaimed mediation program -- one of the
largest employment-related ADR programs of its kind nationwide, with
approximately 12,000 mediations conducted annually.
“We applaud CVS Caremark and welcome their participation in the
EEOC’s mediation program,” said Nicholas Inzeo, Director of the EEOC’s
Office of Field Programs, which oversees the mediation program
nationwide. “There are numerous benefits that flow from participating
in the EEOC’s mediation program -- it is fair, non-adversarial,
expeditious and cost-effective. Additionally, mediation encourages
employees and employers to craft the resolution to their conflict that
best meets their mutual needs, bringing closure in a satisfactory
manner to both parties.”
“As a company that embraces diversity and prides itself on being a
great place to work, we are pleased about this opportunity to
collaborate with the EEOC on this national mediation program,” said
Lisa Bisaccia, CVS Caremark Senior Vice President and Chief Human
Resources Officer. “We look forward to working with the EEOC on this
mediation partnership as part of our long-standing commitment to our
more than 200,000 employees – to respond fairly and efficiently to
their concerns.”
Under the terms of the NUAM, which was negotiated by the EEOC’s
Miami District Office, any eligible discrimination charge filed with
the EEOC in any of its 53 offices naming CVS or Caremark as the
employer/respondent will be referred to mediation, as appropriate. The
company will designate a corporate representative to handle all
inquiries and other logistical matters related to potential charges in
order to facilitate a prompt scheduling of the matter for EEOC
mediation.
The use of mediation is a key component of the EEOC’s efforts to
improve operational efficiency and effectiveness. In addition to the
200 national and regional Universal Agreements to Mediate (UAMs), EEOC
district offices have entered into more than 1,500 mediation agreements
with employers at the local levels within their respective
jurisdictions.