EEOC Says More Workplace Discrimination Reports up In 2018

Far too many California workers continue to suffer in silence. Workplace discrimination continues to be an issue across the country. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says that reports rose during 2018, partly due to the commission’s efforts.

The EEOC launched a new part of its public portal that allows workers to make inquiries and schedule appointments online. According to the agency, this new system allowed for more than 40,000 intake interviews and an increase in inquiries of 30 percent. People now have another way to find out whether certain circumstances constitute workplace discrimination. In fact, the EEOC received more than 200,000 questions regarding potential claims.

Thus far, in 2018, the EEOC received approximately 554,000 emails and calls about the subject as well. The ability to initiate a claim or simply ask questions online opened up another avenue for employees who feel more comfortable using that venue. The commission also helped hundreds of thousands of individuals across the country, and even helped them receive compensation for the damage done to them. The EEOC also says it made significant headway in clearing up its backlog. 

With all of the improvements the EEOC made this year, many California workers may have stopped allowing others in the workplace to treat them poorly. What many of them may not realize is that the process only begins with an inquiry to the EEOC. Employees need to make sure that their rights are protected. If a case ends up turning into a lawsuit, already having a workplace discrimination attorney involved could prove invaluable.