On November 9, 2018, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported on the agency’s activities over the past year. The EEOC oversees most federal employment discrimination laws. This broader release on EEOC outreach and enforcement follows earlier reports addressing only sexual harassment. The EEOC’s fiscal year ended September 30, 2018.
EEOC Outreach Initiatives
EEOC outreach programs reached approximately 398,650 people in FY 2018. These efforts serve to provide information about employment discrimination and worker rights.
“Many people in thousands of workplaces around the country depend every day on the work of the EEOC. I am proud to say that the EEOC met the increased demand for our expertise, for information and training, and for strong enforcement to combat all forms of discrimination, including sexual harassment,” said Victoria A. Lipnic, Acting Chair.
On the subject of workplace harassment, the EEOC conducted over 300 “Respectful Workplaces” training sessions. More than 9,800 employees and supervisors participated in these trainings.
These initiatives may have contributed to increased administrative charges against employers last year. For example, the EEOC previously reported a 13.6% increase in work-related sexual harassment charges in FY 2018.
During this fiscal year, the EEOC received more than 554,000 calls and emails. This includes over 200,000 inquiries regarding possible discrimination claims. This represents a 30% increase in such inquiries, which led to 40,000 intake interviews.
EEOC Enforcement Efforts
The EEOC reports that overall for 2018 it resolved 90,558 charges and obtained $505 million for employees claiming discrimination. The majority of these funds ($354 million) came as a result of mediation, conciliation, and settlements. Only $53.5 million resulted from litigation. (The remaining $98.6 million came through special hearing and appeals procedures for federal government employees.)
Although very few EEOC charges result in litigation, the agency filed 199 lawsuits alleging employment discrimination in FY 2018.
Looking ahead, the EEOC will release its 2018 Performance and Accountability Report on November 15, 2018. It will also publish its comprehensive enforcement statistics for FY 2018 early next year.
For more on the EEOC’s FY 2018 sexual harassment statistics, click here.
For information on FY 2017 EEOC statistics, click here.
Message to Employers
The EEOC has a prominent role in enforcing several federal anti-discrimination laws. These include Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Equal Pay Act, and the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act.
These laws collectively prohibit discrimination in the workplace based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, disability, age, and genetic information. Despite the EEOC’s recent emphasis on sexual harassment cases, it is not ignoring the other categories.
Employers should always remain vigilant to prevent and redress all forms of employment discrimination, including harassment and other tangible employment actions. As a first step, every business should have a comprehensive anti-harassment policy and effective complaint procedures. These measures can help prevent legal liability.
EEOC outreach on employment discrimination will continue in the next fiscal year and beyond. Thus, the FY 2018 statistics are only a reminder that the anti-discrimination laws remain in effect. They are not the end of the story.
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