Our Human Resources Blog

In November, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released its Fiscal Year 2011 Performance & Accountability Report. According to the report, a record number of employment discrimination charges were filed in 2011- in fact the largest number since the agency was established in 1965. 

 Highlights of the report include:

•  99,947 discrimination charges were filed against private sector employees- approximately 274 charges per day.   
• Title VII claims dominated the filings, accounting for 75%, but ADA claims were also strongly represented with a disproportionate portion of the overall settlements. 
• Race charges were the most common claims filed in 2011 (36%), followed by sex (29%), disability (25%) and then age (23%). National origin, religion and Equal Pay Act claims all registered less than 5% of all charges filed. 

Given the state of the economy and a 9% unemployment rate, the report is really not a surprise. Increases in unemployment claims typically rise in a bad economy. With no immediate recovery in site employers can expect the trend to continue in 2012.

With this in mind - it’s important for organizations to be diligent in work place training for employees and managers on anti harassment and discriminatory behavior.