Equal Employment Opportunity

• The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC, is a federal agency that establishes and enforces laws concerning workplace discrimination. Employers that are overseen by the EEOC are not allowed to discriminate against certain classes of people. EEOC enforcement begins at the hiring level and extends through workplace and work-related activities.
  
  

Discrimination

• Under the EEOC rules, a worker or job candidate may not be discriminated against for a number of personal preference or lifestyle choices of the applicant. Examples of discrimination types covered by the EEOC include race, sex, marital status and religion. In addition, an employer may not discriminate against an employee for pregnancy, disability, age (over 40) or genetic information; including the employee's family medical history. Employers governed by the EEOC must also provide equal pay to men and women for equal work.
  
  

Coverage

• In general, private companies who employ more than 15 employees must follow the discrimination restrictions set forth by the EEOC. When you are searching for a new job, you may notice that companies include an "Equal Opportunity Employer" statement in the position advertisement. An employer who includes this in a job ad is covered by the EEOC and prohibited from discriminating against job applicants. In addition, some workplace laws are not covered by the EEOC, but rather alternate federal enforcement acts. For example, the EEOC does not process complaints under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the Fair Labor Standards Act. The EEOC only enforces laws related to employee discrimination.
  
  

Enforcement

• The EEOC investigates all charges and complaints filed against any employer who is covered by the EEOC. If you're an employee who is a victim of workplace discrimination, you must file a complaint with the EEOC prior to filing any potential lawsuit against your employer (see Resources). In most cases, you must file the complaint within 180 days from the date the discrimination occurred. The EEOC conducts the initial investigation of your claim. If the EEOC finds that your company is not in violation of the EEOC rules, you will be notified of your right to file a lawsuit against the company. If the EEOC finds there is a violation under the EEOC, the EEOC will seek voluntary settlement on your behalf.