Commission Meetings and Public Hearings
Commission Meetings
The Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission meets once a month. During the meetings, the Commission: hears public comment; rules on public accommodations, housing, and employment cases filed under the age and equal pay statutes; and handles agency business. The meetings are open to the public and follow the rules of the Nebraska Open Meetings Act.
The public is invited to attend Commission meetings and may address the Commissioners on non-case related matters during the public input portion of the meeting. Comments are limited to five minutes per person.
The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, October 18, 2024, at 9:00 am, and will be held in Omaha, Nebraska, Douglas Conference Center, Omaha State Office Building, 1313 Farnam St.
The agenda, which shall be kept continually current, will be available for public inspection at the Commission鈥檚 principal office located at 1526 K Street, Suite 310 in Lincoln, Nebraska. It is also uploaded and available at the link below as a secondary location on a delay. The final agenda will be available at the principal office 24 hours prior to the meeting.
October 2024 Meeting Agenda
September 2024 Meeting Minutes
View Open Meetings Act
Old minutes are replaced by new minutes each year if a meeting takes place that month. If a new meeting does not take place in a particular month, the most recent meeting remains at the link for that month from the previous year.
June Minutes
May Minutes
April Minutes
March Minutes
February Minutes
January Minutes
December Minutes
Note: No December meeting past 4 years.
November Minutes
October Minutes
September Minutes
August Minutes
July Minutes
Old recordings are replaced by new recordings each year if a meeting takes place that month. If a new meeting does not take place in a particular month, the most recent meeting remains at the link for that month from the previous year.
June Recording
May Recording
April Recording
March Meeting Recording
February Recording
January Recording
December Recording
Note: No December meeting past 4 years.
November Recording
October Recording
September Recording
August Recording
July Recording
Public Hearings
Under the Fair Employment Practice Act, the Nebraska Civil Rights Act of 1969, and the Nebraska Fair Housing Act, a public hearing may be ordered after conciliation efforts are unsuccessful. Public Hearings held pursuant to those statutes are governed by the statutes themselves and the accompanying Rules and Regulations of the NEOC. Those sources should be reviewed in detail prior to any Public Hearing. Copies of all Rules and Regulations are available on the website or can be obtained from the office of the NEOC. NOTE: This section on Public Hearings is provided for informational purposes only. If you are involved in a Public Hearing, refer to the actual relevant Statute and seek legal advice.
If conciliation between the parties fails, the Unit Director advises the parties and informs them of their options relative to the Public Hearing process. If a Public Hearing is ordered under either the Fair Employment Practice Act or the Nebraska Civil Rights Act of 1969, the Complainant will receive a drafted formal complaint and an accompanying letter. The Complainant must sign and return the complaint within a stated period of time if he/she wishes to proceed to the Public Hearing. Under the Nebraska Fair Housing Act, the Public Hearing process is elected by default unless either party elects to proceed to civil action instead within the time limit specified in the housing statute.
After the complaint is formalized, the Respondent is given an opportunity to file an Answer. The parties will also receive a Notice of Public Hearing containing the name of the Hearing Examiner. The Hearing Examiner will then notify the parties of the date and place of a pre-hearing conference, and the date and place of the Public Hearing. The parties can review the NEOC case file by directing a request, in writing, to the Executive Director.
The Public Hearing process is an entirely new proceeding, and the designated Hearing Examiner does not have access to the prior investigative file. Hence, the only evidence considered by the Hearing Examiner is evidence that is introduced at the Public Hearing. For this reason, it is advisable for the parties to be represented by attorneys at the Public Hearing, as an attorney is trained in methods used to introduce the proper evidence.
Pre-Hearing Conference
Generally, the Pre-Hearing Conference follows the Rules used in the District Court. Pre-Hearing Conference procedure is left to the discretion of the Hearing Examiner, although the parties should appear prepared to consider:
路 The simplification of issues
路 The necessity of desirability of amendments to the pleadings
路 The possibility of obtaining admissions of facts and of documents which will avoid unnecessary proof
路 The limitation of the number of witnesses with a view of avoiding improper cumulative testimony
路 Such other matters as in the Hearing Examiner's discretion may aid in the disposition of the action
路 Settlement of the case. Although parties had an opportunity to settle the case during conciliation, settlement can always be discussed by the parties during the Public Hearing process
If settlement is reached, the case will be dismissed once the settlement is approved by the NEOC.
Discovery, Subpoenas
The discovery rules used when practicing in the District Court are applied.
The form of complaints, answers, motions, amendments, and stipulations is not dictated by the rules, but it is recommended that the form of pleadings be patterned after those commonly used in the District Court.
The Rules and Regulations provide for the deadlines and procedures for filing all pleadings.
The Hearing
The Public Hearing must be held in the county where the alleged discriminatory action took place. While the hearings are often held in county or city buildings, it is sometimes necessary to hold hearings in whatever space is convenient and necessary. The Rules and Regulations provide that the same rules and evidence and procedure that govern in the District Courts of Nebraska will also apply at the NEOC Public Hearings. Any questions regarding the hearing process should be directed to the individual Hearing Examiner.
The Hearing Examiner
The Hearing Examiner is appointed by the Commission and acts as an Administrative Law Judge in conducting the Public Hearing. The Hearing Examiner is responsible for ruling on evidentiary issues, weighing the evidence, and issuing a Recommended Order.
The Hearing Examiner's Recommended Order will be reviewed by the Commission. The Commission may accept the order in full, modify the Order, or take any other action deemed necessary. The parties will receive a Commission Final Order indicating what action was taken. After the decision becomes final, a petition for judicial review, if desired, must be filed within 30 days in District court in the district where the Public Hearing was held. Otherwise, the Final Order of the Commission becomes binding and enforceable by the applicable District Court.