All of the below information is from the EEOC’s website. If you have questions about your treatment at work, please talk to your shop steward or staff representative.
Employees & Job Applicants
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces Federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. These laws protect you against employment discrimination when it involves:
- Unfair treatment because of your race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
- Harassment by managers, co-workers, or others in your workplace, because of your race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
- Denial of a reasonable workplace accommodation that you need because of your religious beliefs or disability.
- Retaliation because you complained about job discrimination, or assisted with a job discrimination investigation or lawsuit.
If you believe that you have been discriminated against at work, you can file a “Charge of Discrimination.” All of the laws enforced by EEOC, except for the Equal Pay Act, require you to file a Charge of Discrimination with us before you can file a job discrimination lawsuit against your employer. In addition, an individual, organization, or agency may file a charge on behalf of another person in order to protect the aggrieved person’s identity.
Note: Federal employees and job applicants have similar protections, but a different complaint process.
Not all employers are covered by the laws we enforce, and not all employees are protected. This can vary depending on the type of employer, the number of employees it has, and the type of discrimination alleged. Also, there are strict time limits for filing a charge that you should be aware of. Because of this, we strongly urge you to read the following information to help determine your rights and what action you need to take.
Coverage
Is your employer covered? Are you protected?
Timeliness
How long do you have to file a charge?
Filing a Charge
How to file, EEOC’s charge handling process, remedies, etc.