Vice Chair of the EEOC Meets with ABAS
by Russell Hom

Paul Igasaki, vice chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission met with members of ABAS at the Royal Hong King Lum Restaurant during his recent visit to Northern California. Mr. Igasaki is the first Asian American to serve as vice chair of the EEOC.

In many ways this was a return to his roots, having graduated from King Hall and spent his early years with Legal Services of Northern California as a Reginald Heber Smith Fellow. Mr. Igasaki was joined by many of his old colleagues and law school classmates, including Gene Moriguchi, Jeff Ogata and Steve Koyasako.

ABAS was briefed on the status of the EEOC and in particular a landmark discrimination case against Mitsubishi Motors of America. EEOC has also been instrumental in eliminating discriminatory employment screening practices based upon DNA testing to determine genetic predisposition to illness. Under Mr. Igasaki's management, the processing of complaints before the EEOC was streamlined and resulted in the elimination of the backlog that previously existed.
Although, Mr. Igasaki's term as vice chair will be ending in the near future, his work at EEOC will have a long term impact on the elimination of discrimination in the American workplace.