As has been the trend for more than a decade, the most frequently filed charges were discrimination based on race and retaliation, followed by sex-based discrimination. The EEOC saw an increase in private sector job bias charges based on disability, religion and/or national origin. Religion discrimination claims rose approximately one percent, while national origin claims rose by about five percent.
Disability discrimination charges rose by approximately ten percent, which was the largest increase in any category. This is likely due, in part, to changes to the Americans with Disabilities Act last year that made it easier for people with certain medical conditions, such as epilepsy, to claim they are disabled.
The EEOC attributes the rise in discrimination charges to several factors. These factors include: greater accessibility of the EEOC to the public, economic conditions, increased diversity and demographic shifts in the labor force, employees’ greater awareness of their rights under the law, and changes to the agency’s intake practices.
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