The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received around 99,000 charges of workplace discrimination and retaliation in 2012, according to the EEOC’s updated statistics published online. Since the economic downturn began in 2007, the EEOC has fielded well over 90,000 discrimination complaints per year. For the decade beforehand, annual charges averaged 80,000. Employee discrimination complaints run the gamut—from race and gender discrimination, to retaliation claims by those alleging being punished or fired for exercising federally-protected workplace rights, to disability discrimination. Out of all these charges in 2012, the EEOC filed 150 enforcement lawsuits. The EEOC mediates and investigates discrimination claims as well. In Maryland in 2012, there were around 2,500 workplace discrimination charges filed. This represents 2.5% of the national total. Know your rights. The EEOC offers online resources. The EEOC, created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, is the federal agency tasked with helping to enforce U.S. workplace civil rights laws. From 1997 to 2012, race discrimination has represented 33% of all discrimination charges filed. Sex discrimination has comprised 30%. Discrimination based on national origin has totaled 10%. Age discrimination and disability discrimination each have been involved in 20% of charges filed. Of all charges filed nationally, 38% involve some form of alleged workplace retaliation against employees who speak up about their workplace civil rights. We have previously reported on some of our recent EEOC successes. If you believe you are the victim of workplace discrimination, call us. Maybe we can help.
