EEOC Reducing Backlog of Workplace Discrimination Charges

Author: Michael Cardman, XpertHR Legal Editor

February 9, 2018

In fiscal year 2017, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) resolved almost 15,000 more charges of workplace discrimination than the roughly 84,000 new charges it took in, reducing its backlog of unresolved charges by 16% to about 62,000 - the lowest level in 10 years.

The EEOC said it achieved this reduction by "deploying new strategies to more efficiently prioritize charges with merit, more quickly resolve investigations, and improve the agency's digital systems."

The agency secured $398 million for victims of workplace discrimination through voluntary resolutions and litigation in fiscal 2017, a decrease of 17% from the $482 million recovered during the previous fiscal year.

The workplace discrimination charges filed with the EEOC in fiscal year 2017 most frequently included claims of:

  • Retaliation (49%);
  • Racial discrimination (34%);
  • Disability discrimination (32%);
  • Sex discrimination (30%); and
  • Age discrimination (22%).

The totals add up to more than 100% because charges can include multiple claims.

Going forward into fiscal years 2018-2022, the EEOC says it plans to focus its efforts on aligning its resources to improve discrimination prevention and public education about the discrimination laws.