The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released enforcement and litigation data for fiscal year 2017, which ended September 30, 2017. In 2017, the EEOC received 84,254 workplace discrimination charges and secured $398 million from private employers and state and local government employers through voluntary resolutions and litigation.
The breakdown of charges received is as follows:
| Retaliation |
41,097 |
48.8% |
|
| Race |
28,528 |
33.9% |
|
| Disability |
26,838 |
31.9% |
|
| Sex |
25,605 |
30.4% |
|
| Age |
18,376 |
21.8% |
|
| National Origin |
8,299 |
9.8% |
|
| Religion |
3,436 |
4.1% |
|
| Color |
3,240 |
3.8% |
|
| Equal Pay Act |
996 |
1.2% |
|
| Genetic Information |
206 |
0.2% |
Most charges of discrimination allege more than one basis of discrimination, which is why the total percentage is more than 100%.
As in years past, the 2017 data shows that retaliation is the most frequently filed charge, followed by race and disability. The EEOC also received 6,696 sexual harassment charges and obtained $46.3 million for victims of sexual harassment.
How did Nevada do? The comprehensive enforcement and litigation data shows that 978 total charges against Nevada employers in 2017 (1.2% of the total U.S. charges). The state charges parallel the national trend — with retaliation making up 57.1% of all state charges.
In addition to EEOC charges, legal counsel for the EEOC filed 184 lawsuits alleging discrimination; 124 individual suits, 30 suits involving multiple victims or discriminatory policies, and 30 systemic discrimination cases. The EEOC was successful in 90.8% of all lawsuit resolutions.
Don’t end up as one of these statistics. NAE is here to help Nevada employers hire and retain employees in full compliance with the law. Contact our team of HR professionals to make sure you do not find yourself subject to an EEOC charge.
