There are a number of laws that are supposed to protect workers from suffering discrimination at the hands of their employers. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is supposed to make sure that these laws are properly enforced in both Wisconsin and across the rest of the United States. Unfortunately, the EEOC might not be as concerned with workplace discrimination as it should be.
Paychex, INC. analyzed all of the workplace discrimination complaints submitted to the EEOC between 1997 and 2018. The results regarding the 1.9 million cases were disheartening. Over the period of 21 years, the EEOC only determined reasonable cause for discrimination for 4.6% of the complaints. It considered filing a lawsuit over discrimination in only 3.2% of all complaints. The EEOC failed to act on 87% of the complaints, citing either no findings of discrimination or dismissal because of administrative reasons.
It is possible that as time goes on, the EEOC is simply not taking complaints as seriously as it should be. In 2001, it found reasonable cause for discrimination in 9.9% of that year’s complaints. That figure dropped to 3.2% in 2016, and 2.9% in 2017.
Despite federal laws that prohibit workplace discrimination and an agency tasked with enforcing those laws, discrimination is still a rampant problem in Wisconsin. Victims of discrimination often feel as if they have no options, especially if the EEOC failed to take their complaints seriously. In these situations, it can be helpful to consider pursuing a civil claim against a discriminatory employer. When successfully pursued to completion, victims can achieve essential compensation for damages like lost wages and more.