Do you need a lawyer before or after you go to the EEOC?
We often receive calls from potential clients who have just received a “right to sue” letter from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Sadly, at this stage it is often too late for us to take the case. If you think you have been discriminated against or retaliated against you have the right to file a charge and asked the EEOC to pursue the claim. The EEOC investigates these claims, and that may take months. Or it may not take long at all. In a tiny percentage of cases, the EEOC will sue your employer if they think you were discriminated against. Most...
Read MoreDecision from EEOC expected shortly on Discrimination claim filed against the Library of Congress
Peter TerVeer claims that for over a year, he was humiliated and harassed by his boss, John Mech, due to his sexual orientation and religion. According to TerVeer, after Mech found out he was gay, Mech began communicating his conservative religious beliefs regarding homosexuality. According to the afidavit filed with the EEOC, this harassment was so severe that it led to emotional damage. This damage resulted in TerVeer taking an extended leave of absence from his position at the Library of Congress. During this leave, TerVeer asked to be transferred to a different office, but this...
Read MoreEEOC Sees Increase in Discrimination Claims
In the past year, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has seen 7.2 % in discrimination claims being filed with agency. Coverage here. The EEOC handles charges under Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, the Equal Pay Act, and GINA. EEOC Chair Jacqueline A. Berrien stated, “Discrimination continues to be a substantial problem for too many job seekers and workers, and we must continue to build our capacity to enforce the laws that ensure that workplaces are free of unlawful bias.” Detailed statistics on the charges filed with the EEOC are available on its...
Read MoreEEOC Issues New GINA Regulations
On November 9, 2010, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued its final regulations implementing the employment-related provisions in Title II of the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act of 2008 (GINA). Details on the new regulations can be found at the Federal Register and at the EEOC. Under Title II of GINA, it is illegal to discriminate against employees or applicants because of genetic information. Title II of GINA prohibits the use of genetic information in making employment decisions, restricts employers and other entities from requesting, requiring or...
Read MoreFourth Circuit Rules for Sexual Harassment Victim
The Fourth Circuit has issued another good decision in favor of employees who are sexually harassed in EEOC v. Fairbrook Medical Clinic. This case involves a family medicine practice in Hickory, North Carolina. Here’s the summary: “The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission brought this suit on behalf of Dr. Deborah Waechter against her former employer, Fairbrook Medical Clinic. The agency alleges that Dr. John Kessel, the sole owner of the clinic, subjected Waechter to a hostile work environment because of her sex in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42...
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