The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recovered more than $484 million in fiscal year (FY) 2021. The $484 million went directly to victims of discrimination, changed discriminatory practices across U.S. workplaces, and helped prevent discrimination through outreach and education.
In FY 2021, the EEOC was appropriated $404.5 million. The EEOC prioritized rebuilding and strengthening the agency and renewed its focus on tackling systemic discrimination in the workplace, including promoting racial justice and equity, preventing and remedying discrimination in pay, and addressing the civil rights impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the public and private sectors.
The EEOC claims the following accomplishments:
- Filling approximately 450 primarily front-line staff positions and ending the year with more than 2,100 employees on board.
- Conducting more than 2,300 outreach events, including over 300 COVID-19 related events, and providing nearly 255,000 individuals nationwide with information about employment discrimination and their rights and responsibilities in the workplace.
- Holding its first-ever public hearing by video conference, watched by over 2,000 members of the public, addressing the civil rights impacts of COVID-19 in the workplace, and issuing new and updated technical assistance regarding COVID-19, vaccinations, and reasonable accommodations.
The EEOC’s Investigations and Litigations Accomplishments include:
- Securing more than $350 million and other relief for victims of employment discrimination in private sector and state and local government workplaces through mediation, conciliation, and settlements benefiting thousands of individuals.
- Resolving 138 lawsuits and obtaining $34 million in monetary relief as a direct result of litigation resolutions, including 21 lawsuits alleging race or national origin discrimination for approximately $15 million and 10 compensation discrimination cases for approximately $1 million.
- Resolving more than 26 systemic lawsuits and over 340 systemic investigations on the merits and obtaining over $46 million in benefits for individuals.
The EEOC’s Federal Sector Accomplishments include:
- Obtaining more than $100 million for federal employees and applicants.
- Reducing the federal sector hearings pending inventory for the fourth consecutive year, achieving a reduction of 6% in fiscal year 2021.
- Conducting nearly 400 federal sector outreach events.
Chair of EEOC, Charlotte A. Burrows stated, “The EEOC was created in 1965 as a result of a strong national commitment to civil rights and serves as tangible proof that the causes of justice and equality are greater than hatred, division and bigotry. Promoting equal employment opportunity and enforcing the nation’s federal workplace anti-discrimination laws remain as necessary as ever.”
The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information on the EEOC can be accessed here.
Compliance Perspective
Issue
The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, transgender status, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information. The laws apply to all types of work situations, including hiring, firing, promotions, harassment, training, wages, and benefits. It is essential that employers and employees understand their rights under federal law for nondiscrimination. Employees should be aware of how they can report discrimination, and employers must investigate all claims of discrimination in a fair and non-retaliatory manner.
Discussion Points
- Review your policies and procedures for prevention of discrimination and retaliation. Ensure that they are up-to-date. Revise them if needed.
- Ensure that all staff are aware of your company’s policy for nondiscrimination and nonretaliation, and the steps the employees should take if they suspect wrongdoing, including having access to the compliance hotline for anonymous reporting. File signed training documents in each employee’s education file.
- Periodically audit to ensure that all employees are aware of the steps they should take if they suspect wrongdoing, and that they are aware of the compliance hotline and how to make a report.
