Employment Discrimination Lawsuits on the Rise

According to Staffing Industry Analysts, there has been a significant increase in the number of employment discrimination lawsuits filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for the fiscal year ending September 30. Compared to the previous year, there was a 50% surge, with the EEOC filing 143 lawsuits in 2023.

Out of these, there were 25 “systemic lawsuits,” denoting cases where discrimination patterns or practices have a wide-ranging effect. This number is roughly twice that of each of the last three fiscal years. The term “systemic” pertains to situations that reveal a widespread pattern of discrimination, potentially affecting policies or specific groups of people.

Furthermore, the EEOC filed 32 class suits that were nonsystemic, in addition to 86 lawsuits aimed at obtaining relief for individual claimants.

EEOC Chair Charlotte Burrows emphasized in a statement that their litigation program plays a crucial role in ensuring adherence to the country’s anti-discrimination statutes. It acts as a mechanism to uphold equal employment opportunities, especially when voluntary compliance is not achieved by the commission.

These lawsuits encompass a diverse range of issues, from recruitment and hiring obstacles to the safeguarding of at-risk workers.