The Enforcement of Title VII: Meshing Public and Private Efforts

Abstract

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 not only imposes an administrative resort prerequisite as to any private suit eventually commenced but also integrates to some extent private enforcement with enforcement by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The statute itself provides some, but not complete, guidance as to the reconciliation and ordering of public and private enforcement, and this article analyzes those provisions before discussing the appropriate judicial approach to "meshing" questions not addressed by the statutory language.

Keywords: private suit, public suit, EEOC, charge of discrimination, section 706, commission charge, pattern and practice, collateral estoppel, offensive, intervention, section 707, Title VII