Long Island Employment Law Blog
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) is a federal agency charged with investigating and enforcing the federal anti-discrimination workplace laws, such as Title VII, ADA, ADEA, and GINA. These laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, sex, national origin, religion, pregnancy, disability, age, and genetic information. These laws also prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who complain about discrimination.
Charge of Discrimination
The EEOC can start an investigation when an employee files a charge of discrimination with the agency. The charge must contain the employee’s name and contact information, the employer’s name and contact information, the total number of employees employed, a description of the discrimination including when the events took place, the basis of discrimination (i.e. race, religion, age), and a signature. The charge can be filed in person, by phone, or by mail. In New York, the EEOC charge must be filed within 300 days of the event which gave rise to the discrimination. This deadline can vary between states so if you are not in New York, you should check with your local EEOC office. New York’s EEOC office is located on Whitehall Street in Manhattan.