How To File An EEOC Charge Of Discrimination

Workplace discrimination comes in various forms and can be mentally devastating. You may feel insulted at your workplace and not do well at your job because of the hostile work environment. Thankfully, the government has given employees the right to seek justice when faced with such situations. 

Suppose your company or business fails to take appropriate actions regarding the discriminatory behavior. In that case, you can file an EEOC charge of discrimination or file a discrimination lawsuit with the help of White Plains Employment Discrimination Attorneys.

What is an EEOC charge of discrimination?

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal law that protects employees from being discriminated against and treated differently based on their religion, nationality, skin color, race, ethnicity, gender, marital status, and sexual orientation. If your employer has shown signs of hostility towards you because of one of these reasons, you are legally allowed to file a complaint against them. 

How to file an EEOC Charge of Discrimination

Before beginning to file a charge, it is essential to note that the EEOC agency does not favor any sides. It neither represents you nor your employer. It simply investigates a complaint to determine whether it is true or not. 

You can file an EEOC charge at an EEOC office. You can also file it at any other equal employment opportunity agency office. These are not the official federal offices, but they work as representatives of the EEOC. You can file the complaint yourself or send someone on your behalf. In some places, the EEOC offices allow the victim to file the charge through the mail. You can enquire with your local EEOC office regarding this. 

Even though there are various EEOC offices in the United States, it is better to file the charge at the office nearest to your workplace or your house for convenience. However, if there are no offices within a reasonable distance, you can file the complaint in any office. 

The law does not give you a whole lifetime for taking action. You will probably need to file the complaint within a specific timeframe. You can check with your state’s laws to determine the time limit or consult with a lawyer. To be safe, it would be better if you filed the complaint as soon as possible after the discriminating incident. 

Additionally, it is essential to keep evidence of your illegal discrimination to make your case stronger. Keep a record of the time, date, and location when such incidents occur. Also, note down the names of the people involved and the actions taken by them. You will also need to keep documents given to you by your employer, such as performance reviews, disciplinary notices, etc.