Riverside employment lawyers note retaliation complaints surpass race-based complaints in 2010

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received more workplace discrimination complaints last year than at any time in the agency’s history.

Our Riverside employment lawyers understand how important it is for an employee to protect his or her rights, especially given the current economic environment. Employers have spent several years reducing costs, cutting staff, downsizing, and making other moves aimed at improving the bottom line. Employees who are wrongfully terminated may face a double-edge sword: Trouble finding a comparable position because of the economic climate, as well as the ramifications of not being able to use a previous employer as a positive reference.

The EEOC reports all major types of bias complaints increased, including those under Title VII, the Equal Pay Act, the Age Discrimination and Employment Act (ADEA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Laws are in place to protect employees against sex discrimination, age discrimination, race discrimination and discrimination based on disabilities. However, it is incumbent upon them to seek the advice of an experienced attorney in order to protect their rights. Additionally, employees are protected from discrimination based on national origin. In 2010, they were also protected under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act for the first time — 201 charges were filed under that act.

For the first time, complaints of retaliation surpassed race-based complaints as the most-frequently filed charge. Race-based charges have been the most frequently filed charges since the EEOC began operation in 1965.

In all, the EEOC filed 250 lawsuits and settled 104,999 charges. It collected more than $404 million from employers, the most ever obtained administratively in a single year.

Total Charges in 2010: 99,922
Race: 35,890
Sex: 29,029
National Origin: 11,304
Religion: 3,790
Retaliation: 36,258
Age: 23,264
Disability: 25,165
Equal Pay Act: 1,044
If you need to speak to an employment attorney in San Bernardino Riverside or Orange County about an issue of discrimination, sexual harassment, wage dispute, or a violation of worker’s rights, contact the Employment Law Team for a confidential consultation to discuss your rights. Call (877) 529-4545. Serving Santa Ana, Ontario, Riverside and the entire Los Angeles area.

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