The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. It is also illegal to discriminate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit.
Most employers with at least 15 employees are covered by EEOC laws (20) employees in age discrimination cases). Most labor unions and employment agencies are also covered. The laws apply to all types of work situations, including hiring, firing, promotions, harassment, training, wages, and benefits.
The EEOC has the authority to investigate charges of discrimination against employers who are covered by the law. The role of the EEOC in an investigation is to fairly and accurately assess the allegations in the charge and then make a finding. If the agency finds that discrimination has occurred, the EEOC will try to settle the charge. If the EEOC isn't successful, it has the authority to file a lawsuit to protect the rights of individuals and the interests of the public. The EEOC does not, however, file lawsuits in all cases where it finds discrimination. The EEOC also works to prevent discrimination before it occurs through outreach, education and technical assistance programs.
After reviewing the statistics provided on the EEOC website listed above, write a 2-3 page paper (use APA style formatting) in which you describe major trends that you observed in the occurrence of sexual harassment complaints since 1997 and the outcomes of those complaints. You should be sure and comment on your explanation for why these trends are occurring.
www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics/enforcement/sexual_harassment.cfm.