The FCC's Media Bureau, with input from the Enforcement Bureau, issued an order waiving the "broad outreach" requirements of its EEO rules when it comes to rehiring employees released due to the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that should not adversely impact the goal to ensuring employment nondiscrimination.
The waiver applies for employees rehired within nine months of the date they were laid off, said the bureau.
The EEO rules require broadcasters and MVPDs with more than five (broadcast) or six (MVPD) employees to "engage in broad recruitment outreach for all full-time job vacancies."
But because there will be so many vacancies due to COVID-19 layoffs, the FCC said in the public interest to allow the rehiring of released employees without conducting broad recruitment of competing candidates.
"Given the unique importance of broadcasters and MVPDs in providing access to breaking news and critical information relating to the pandemic, the public interest, convenience, and necessity would be best served by encouraging these entities to maintain, or quickly resume, normal operations," the bureau said in announcing the waiver. "Facilitating the expeditious re-hiring of full-time employees laid off as a result of the pandemic to job vacancies created by the pandemic supports this important goal."
