Dive Brief:
- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) racked up a record $525 million in its enforcement efforts during fiscal year 2015 (ended Sept. 30), according to the Commission’s annual Performance and Accountability Report.
- The $525 million, for discrimination cases in private, state and local government, and federal workplaces, included $356.6 million for victims of employment discrimination in private sector and state and local government workplaces through mediation, conciliation, and settlements; $65.3 million for charging parties through litigation; and $105.7 million for federal employees and applicants.
- By comparison, in 2014 the EEOC reached $392.5 million overall, so it seems the Commission has rebounded.
Dive Insight:
For HR leaders keeping score, among other metrics the EEOC filed 142 lawsuits alleging discrimination, including 100 individual suits and 42 suits involving multiple victims or discriminatory policies (versus discriminatory treatment), of which 16 were systemic suits. At the end of the fiscal year, EEOC had 218 cases on its active docket, of which 48 (22%) involved challenges to systemic discrimination and 40 (18%) were multiple-victim cases.
EEOC Chair Jenny R. Yang said that Commission, now in its 50th year, has made much progress but faces more challenges.
"This is a pivotal moment to renew our national commitment to combating discrimination," Yang said in a press release. “There is a growing awareness -- across racial and ethnic lines -- that we must do more as a country to address issues of equality. As we look ahead … our country must continue to invest the resources necessary to fulfill the promise of equal employment opportunity."
