Mediation Newsroom

EEOC Admision UAM Agreement

A UAM is an agreement between EEOC and an employer to mediate all eligible charges filed against the employer, prior to an agency investigation or litigation. A UAM substitutes for the individual agreement to mediate which the parties sign prior to a mediation being conducted. Because mediation is voluntary, the employer or the charging party may opt out of mediation on a particular charge even though a UAM has been signed.

UAMs may be local, regional, or national. Local UAMs are agreements that exist between an employer and a particular EEOC field office to mediate eligible charges filed against that employer within the field office's geographic jurisdiction. Regional and National UAMs are agreements between an employer and the EEOC to mediate all of an employer's eligible charges in a multi-state region or on a nationwide basis.

Why did the EEOC decide to offer UAMs if either party can agree to mediate under an individual mediation agreement?

The expansion and promotion of ADR and voluntary mediation are the centerpieces of Chair Dominguez's Five-Point Plan to enhance EEOC's overall operations. The parties can get to the mediation table more quickly if an employer has signed a UAM. Studies conducted by outside consultants have shown that EEOC's mediation program has high customer satisfaction ratings, and that 96% of employers who participate in mediation are willing to try it again. A UAM provides a way to resolve workplace disputes promptly and more efficiently before any investigation occurs, should a charge be filed.