The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

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The Equal Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a United States federal agency responsible for ending employment discrimination. It was signed into existence by President John F. Kennedy in the 1960′s on behalf of alleged victims of discrimination against private employers. It uses the force of several federal laws to defend workers and their rights.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 shields employees from discrimination at the workplace based on their race, color, religion, sex or national origin. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 requires that men and women who substantially perform the same work in the same establishment are paid equal amounts. The Age Discrimination Act of 1967 protects workers over the age of 40 and Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibits discrimination against qualified employees with disabilities. Finally, the Civil Rights Act of 1991 provides monetary compensation in cases of intentional employment discrimination. Sexual harassment is also covered by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

If an employee feels like a discriminatory practice has occurred in the workplace, they can file a complaint with the EEOC. All laws enforced by the agency require a charge to be filed before a private lawsuit can be pursued. There are some strict time limits to filing charges. No more than 180 days can pass after the alleged violation if a charge is going to be filed. However, the timing limits do not apply to claims under the Equal Pay Act because involved parties do not have to file an official complaint with the EEOC before proceeding to litigation.

Official statistics from the EEOC reveal that in 2007, 82,792 claims were made. Of those, 72,442 were resolved. About $290.6 million was recovered in monetary benefits in the resolved claims. In terms of specific situations, pregnancy discrimination had 4,979 resolutions, sex discrimination had 21,982 solved cases, and race based charges had 25,882 rulings, to name a few. Unfortunately, when the statistics from the years of 2006 and 2007 are compared, all forms of Title VII discrimination are on the rise. Racial discrimination leads the pack, with a 12% increase between the years. Sex discrimination was at the other end of the scale, with a still unfortunate 7% growth.

Although the United States is changing many of its previously held discriminatory beliefs, employment discrimination is a serious problem. Fortunately, agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission exist to help in the protection of workers’ rights. If you are interested in learning more, discrimination in the workplace can help.

Tags: age discrimination act, age discrimination act of 1967, employment opportunity commission, equal employment opportunity commission, strict time limits