Created by the 1989 amendments to the New York City Charter, the Equal Employment Practices Commission (EEPC) is an independent, non-mayoral oversight entity tasked with auditing, reviewing, and monitoring the employment practices of New York City agencies, entities, and offices of elected officials at least once every four years. Chapter 36 of the New York City Charter authorizes the EEPC to make a determination that any City entity’s plan, program, or procedure does not provide equal employment opportunity, require appropriate corrective action, and monitor the implementation of the corrective action it prescribes. Agencies and entities subject to the EEPC’s audit, evaluation, and monitoring are those that are funded, in whole or in part, by the City treasury, those in which the majority of the board members are appointed by the mayor, and those in which the majority of the board members serve by virtue of being City officers.

In addition to its oversight of City EEO programs, Local Law 13 of 2019 requires the EEPC to analyze citywide racial and ethnic classification underutilization and annually publish a report of its findings and recommendations. The EEPC is also empowered to conduct hearings, establish advisory committees, and make legislative, policy, and budgetary recommendations to the Mayor, the City Council, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, and any other City agency or entity to ensure equal employment opportunities for those who are employed by, or seek employment with, New York City government.

The New York City Charter assigns an EEPC Board of five per diem Commissioners, who serve in staggered four-year terms. The EEPC Board of Commissioners is comprised of two appointees each from the Mayor and City Council, and a Chairperson who is appointed jointly by the Mayor and Speaker of the Council. This arrangement facilitates the EEPC's exercise of jurisdiction over the employment practices of mayoral and non-mayoral agencies, as well as the offices of elected officials and political appointees.