Employers need to be as vigilant as ever about avoiding employment discrimination, in light of new data from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission showing a record number of discrimination charges were filed with the agency in 2010.
According to the data, the number of charges filed with the EEOC rose to nearly 100,000, up 7 percent from 2009 and 21 percent from 2007.
The EEOC resolved nearly 105,000 private-sector charges, filed 250 lawsuits and resolved another 285 lawsuits. In all, the EEOC said it collected more than $404 from employers on behalf of employees, its highest annual total ever.
In 2010, the number of charges of retaliation filed against employers outnumbered race discrimination charge filings for the first since in EEOC history.
“Retaliation is easier to prove,” said EEOC spokeswoman Justine Lisser.
All the more reason employers should have processes in place to make sure complaining employees are not singled out for adverse action because they have complained.
