EEOC secured $700 million for 21,000 workers in 2024. 97% litigation success rate.
Discrimination? Wage theft? Harassment? You have powerful federal protections.
Free EEOC templates • 7 expert guides • 180 days to file
Select your specific workplace problem to learn your rights, see compensation amounts, and start your claim
Employer withheld wages, didn't pay overtime, or violated minimum wage laws
Discriminated against based on race, gender, age, religion, disability, or other protected status
Sexual harassment, bullying, or hostile work environment that employer ignored
Fired illegally for reporting violations, taking jury duty, or exercising legal rights
Unsafe working conditions, lack of equipment, or employer retaliation for safety reports
Wrongly classified as independent contractor to deny benefits, overtime, or protections
Employer denied FMLA leave, retaliated for taking it, or didn't reinstate you
Retaliation, non-compete violations, stolen commissions, or other employment issues
Andrea Lucas just became Acting EEOC Chair. Within 48 hours, she terminated General Counsel Karla Gilbride, removed two Democratic commissioners, and instructed staff to close all disparate impact cases by September. The agency that secured $700 million for discrimination victims in 2024—its highest recovery ever—lost its quorum overnight. Welcome to workplace justice in 2025.
But let's talk about what those 88,531 charges actually looked like. Forget the corporate diversity training videos. Real discrimination looks like this: A warehouse worker with diabetes gets fired for eating a granola bar during a blood sugar crash. "No eating on the floor," says the manager, while smoking his third cigarette. That's 43.2% of EEOC cases right there—disability discrimination, now the top category, surpassing even retaliation for the first time.
Five groundbreaking PWFA cases in 2024:
Trump administration announced plans to "revise" PWFA rules. Translation: expect rollbacks.
Forget "quiet quitting." Employers perfected quiet firing. Your exciting projects mysteriously reassigned to Brad from accounting. Your desk moved next to the server room. Suddenly you're not "collaborative enough" despite working there eight years. The 3 PM Friday meeting invite titled "Quick Chat"—spoiler alert: it's never quick, rarely a chat.
Minnesota software engineer documented it perfectly: January—exceeded all metrics. February—suddenly needs "improvement plan." March—all remote privileges revoked. April—must report to office 90 minutes away. May—position eliminated for "restructuring." June—company posts identical role, now in-office only, $20k less. The paper trail? Immaculate. The discrimination? Good luck proving it.
Alabama leads the nation with 62.2 EEOC complaints per 100,000 residents. Mississippi follows at 60.8. Maine? Just 2.5. This isn't about Southern workers being more litigious. It's about at-will employment states where you can get fired for wearing the wrong color shirt on Tuesday.
Birmingham Amazon warehouse: 87 discrimination complaints in 18 months. Pattern? Black workers assigned to loading trucks in non-air-conditioned bays. White workers operating forklifts in climate-controlled sections. Same pay grade, different heat index. The company's defense? "Operational needs." The settlement? Sealed.
2013: 808 LGBTQ+ discrimination charges filed. 2024: 1,967 charges. The math is simple. The stories aren't. Tennessee teacher coached the football team for twelve years. Someone finds his husband's photo on his desk. Suddenly he's "not aligned with community values." The Bostock decision said that's illegal. Tennessee legislature said "watch us try anyway."
Tech company in Austin implements "culture fit" interviews. Coincidentally, no trans employees hired since. The hiring manager's leaked Slack message: "Let's avoid complications." That message? Worth $2.3 million in the settlement. The hiring manager? Still employed, now "Director of Talent Strategy."
EEOC mediations recovered $469.6 million without going to court. Here's how workers won:
LeoPalace Guam got caught red-handed: Japanese employees got better wages and benefits than Filipino employees doing identical work. The penalty? $1.4 million. The lesson? International companies think U.S. labor law won't follow them to territories. They're wrong.
Trump's directive to end all disparate impact cases means this: If a policy hurts protected groups but wasn't explicitly designed to discriminate, it's now legal. Requiring all warehouse workers to lift 100 pounds eliminates most women applicants? Too bad. Algorithm rejects résumés with "ethnic names" at 3x the rate? Working as intended. The technical term is "facially neutral." Workers call it something else.
The game changed January 20, 2025. Federal protection weakened overnight. But state laws still exist. California's Fair Employment and Housing Act. New York's Human Rights Law. Document everything. File with state agencies. And remember: $700 million in recoveries happened because 88,531 workers refused to shut up about discrimination. Your silence is their strategy.
Highest monetary recovery in recent history - $700M for discrimination victims
Note: Charges may allege multiple types of discrimination, so percentages exceed 100%
Prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin.
Prohibits disability discrimination, requires reasonable accommodations.
Protects workers 40+ from age discrimination.
Sets minimum wage, overtime, child labor standards.
Common myth: "Salaried = no overtime." FALSE! Salary alone doesn't exempt you.
You have 180 days from the discrimination date to file (300 days if your state has a Fair Employment Practices Agency). Miss this deadline and you LOSE your right to sue. File early - you can always amend later.
Go to eeoc.gov/filing-charge-discrimination
What to Include:
After you file, the EEOC will:
Overtime Formula:
Example:
Multiply by 2-3 years = $7,800-$11,700 owed (plus liquidated damages)
Employer must prove hours worked if records inadequate. Your reasonable estimates + corroboration are enough.
Go to dol.gov/agencies/whd/contact/complaints
DOL FY2024 Results: Recovered $274M for workers (avg $1,300 per worker)
Advantages over DOL complaint:
Statute of Limitations:
Two types:
Why reporting matters:
How to report:
Retaliation red flags: Demotion, bad performance review, termination, schedule changes, hostile treatment
69,000 female employees alleged systemic pay and promotion discrimination at Kay and Jared jewelry stores. EEOC investigation found pattern. Settlement: $54M for class members + policy reforms.
2,300 FedEx drivers misclassified as independent contractors, denied overtime, expenses, benefits. California jury verdict: $143M. Drivers got average $62K each.
Manager fired immediately after announcing pregnancy. EEOC sued for pregnancy discrimination + retaliation. Settlement: $7.5M for class of women denied accommodations + fired after pregnancy disclosure.
7 comprehensive articles covering gig worker rights, wage theft, discrimination, and more
Every workplace situation is unique and employment laws vary by jurisdiction. Our AI will analyze your case and provide guidance based on your specific circumstances and location.
File Your Complaint →Free EEOC templates • Expert guidance • 180 days to file