EB4_DETAILS

EEOC’s Breakdown of Workplace Discrimination in FY 2018

05/01/2019 Written by: Megan DiMartino

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released a detailed breakdown of the 76,418 charges of workplace discrimination they received in the fiscal year (FY) 2018, which ended September 30, 2018. The EEOC posted the breakdown of charges by state on their website.
The EEOC’s numbers for FY 2018*:

  • 90,558 charges of discrimination resolved
  • $505 million secured for victims in the private sector, state and local government, and federal workplaces
  • 19.5% reduction in the agency’s charge workload (achieved through deploying new strategies to more efficiently prioritize charges with merit, more quickly resolve investigations, and improve the agency’s digital systems)
  • 519,000 calls to the agency’s toll-free number
  • 34,600 emails
  • 200,000+ inquiries in field offices

“The EEOC had a remarkable year working on behalf of those who came to the agency having experienced discrimination in their workplaces, ” said EEOC Acting Chair, Victoria A. Lipnic. Also adding, “Our fiscal year 2018 final statistics reflect significant recoveries for individuals through our administrative enforcement and our litigation program. The statistics also indicate the EEOC has been handling its workload in a more efficient manner, expanding tools to provide better timelier service to the public while sharpening our focus on meritorious charges and those that advance the public interest.”
The EEOC’s breakdown of charge numbers for FY 2018*:

  • Retaliation: 39,469 (51.6% of all charges filed)
  • Sex: 24,655 (32.3%)
  • Disability: 24,605 (32.2%)
  • Race: 24,600 (32.2%)
  • Age: 16,911 (22.1%)
  • Sexual Harassment: 7,609 (13.6% increase from FY 2017, and $56.6 million in monetary benefits for the victims)
  • National Origin: 7,106 (9.3%)
  • Color: 3,166 (4.1%)
  • Religion: 2,859 (3.7%)
  • Equal Pay Act: 1,066 (1.4%)
  • Genetic Information: 220 (0.3%)

*These numbers and percentages add up to more than the charges filed and more than 100 percent because some charges allege multiple bases.
Source: EEOC | EEOC Releases Fiscal Year 2018 Enforcement and Litigation Data
Links:

Implementing-Voluntary-Benefits-to-Reduce-Employee-Stress
Implementing Voluntary Benefits to Reduce Employee Stress
Blog06/12/2025
employee-benefits

As health care costs continue to rise, so has the demand for voluntary benefits. Since many employers find it increasingly difficult to provide employees with a complete benefit package, voluntary...

The-Continued-Rise-of-Voluntary-Benefits
The Continued Rise of Voluntary Benefits
Blog06/05/2025
employee-benefits

Voluntary Benefits are having more than a moment – they’re on pace to have a decade! Interest in Voluntary Benefits boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic and the enrollment numbers followed, we are...

Supporting-Employees-Through-Infertility-and-Depression-A-Complex-Relationship
Supporting Employees Through Infertility and Depression: A Complex Relationship
Blog05/29/2025
employee-benefits

The journey to starting a family isn’t always easy for many employees. It can be a profoundly emotional journey and, when dealing with fertility struggles, full of big ups and downs that can take a...