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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces federal laws against workplace discrimination. It accepts and investigates many discrimination charges, may help parties settle disputes, and can sue or refer cases in certain circumstances. A charge is an allegation—not a finding—and coverage and deadlines depend on the law and the facts.
What does the EEOC do?
The EEOC is the federal agency responsible for enforcing federal workplace discrimination laws. Those laws can prohibit discriminatory treatment and harassment based on race, color, religion, sex—including pregnancy, transgender status, and sexual orientation—national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information. They also protect against retaliation for certain protected activity and require some employers to provide reasonable accommodations for religion, disability, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.
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Not every law covers every employer or worker. Coverage depends on factors such as the statute, employer type and size, worker status, and the alleged basis for discrimination. The EEOC’s acceptance of a charge does not establish that discrimination occurred or mean the government has accused the employer of wrongdoing.
The agency’s role is broader than investigating individual charges. It describes employer recordkeeping and workplace-posting duties and collects workforce data from some employers, including when no charge is pending.
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How do I file an EEOC complaint?
People often say “EEOC complaint,” but the ordinary private- and state/local-sector process is to file a formal charge of discrimination. A charge is a signed statement alleging that an organization engaged in employment discrimination and asking the agency to take remedial action. An online inquiry is usually the first step, not the charge itself.
- Start an inquiry through the EEOC Public Portal. The agency generally uses the inquiry to gather basic information and arrange an interview.
- Discuss the situation with the EEOC. An intake interview helps determine whether the matter may fall within the agency’s authority and whether a charge is appropriate.
- File a charge if appropriate. The agency may prepare a charge for signature. The decision whether to file is ultimately yours.
The EEOC also describes ways to begin in person, by mail, or by phone. A phone call can be used to discuss a situation and learn how to file, but the agency says it does not take charges over the phone. In many areas, a state or local Fair Employment Practices Agency (FEPA) can receive a charge; worksharing agreements often allow a FEPA and the EEOC to dual-file it.
For most laws the EEOC enforces, a charge is generally required before a private lawsuit may be filed. The Equal Pay Act is an important exception. Filing a charge preserves a process for addressing a claim; it does not prove the claim.
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Ordinary charge or federal-sector complaint?
Federal employees and applicants use a separate EEO complaint process rather than the ordinary charge process used by most private- and state/local-sector workers. They generally must contact an agency EEO counselor within 45 days of the alleged discrimination and then follow the federal-sector procedure. Do not assume that the ordinary charge steps or deadlines apply to a federal job.
EEOC or state/local agency?
A state or local FEPA may enforce its own anti-discrimination law as well as work with the EEOC. Where a worksharing agreement applies, the agencies can coordinate and treat a filing as made with both. Which office receives the initial filing does not by itself determine the deadline; the law and jurisdiction involved do.
How long do I have to file?
For most covered EEOC charges, the ordinary deadline is 180 calendar days from the alleged discriminatory act. It may extend to 300 days when a state or local agency enforces a law prohibiting discrimination on the same basis. Age claims have a narrower extension rule: the 300-day period applies only if the state has an age-discrimination law and a state agency or authority enforcing it. A local age law alone does not extend that deadline.
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| Situation | Deadline or rule described by the EEOC | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Most covered charges | 180 calendar days; potentially 300 days | The extension depends on a state or local agency enforcing a law on the same basis. |
| Age discrimination charge | 180 calendar days; potentially 300 days | The extension requires both a state age-discrimination law and a state agency or authority enforcing it. A local law alone is insufficient. |
| Federal employee or applicant | Generally, contact an agency EEO counselor within 45 days | This is a separate federal-sector process, not the ordinary charge procedure. |
| Equal Pay Act claim | Generally, two years from the discriminatory paycheck, or three years for a willful violation | An EEOC charge is not required before filing suit; other legal rules may affect a particular case. |
These are not universal filing rules. Right-to-sue requirements and court-filing periods also vary by statute; a notice commonly starts a 90-day court-filing period in some cases, but that period should not be assumed to apply to every claim. Internal grievances and other dispute processes generally do not pause the EEOC charge deadline. If dates matter, contact the agency or a qualified lawyer promptly.
What happens after I file a charge?
The EEOC says it generally notifies the employer within 10 days after a charge is filed. The agency may invite the parties to mediation. If mediation is declined or does not resolve the matter, the EEOC may request the employer’s written position and investigate.
Mediation, investigation, and conciliation are different
| Stage | When it may happen | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Mediation | Often offered early after a charge | A voluntary, neutral-assisted effort to reach a settlement. The mediator does not decide whether discrimination occurred. |
| Investigation | When a charge proceeds without a resolution through mediation | The EEOC gathers and evaluates information to assess the allegations and applicable law. |
| Conciliation | After the EEOC finds reasonable cause | A distinct, informal and confidential attempt to obtain voluntary compliance and resolve the matter. |
An investigation may include written questions, document requests, interviews with witnesses, examination of records, or a visit to the worksite. If an employer does not cooperate, the EEOC may issue an administrative subpoena for documents, testimony, or access to facilities.
The EEOC describes investigations as taking approximately 10 months on average and mediation as often resolving matters in less than three months. Those are agency-stated approximate averages, not a timetable or promise for an individual charge.
Conciliation is not another name for mediation. It follows a reasonable-cause determination; under the relevant enforcement process, the EEOC must attempt conciliation before considering litigation. Participation and settlement remain voluntary. If conciliation does not resolve the matter, the agency decides whether to sue or, in specified circumstances, refer the case to the Department of Justice.
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The result depends on the law, evidence, and procedural circumstances. The EEOC may close a matter it cannot pursue, including an untimely or otherwise inapplicable charge. If it cannot determine that the law may have been violated, it may issue a notice explaining the charging party’s next legal steps. A reasonable-cause finding is a distinct agency determination; it is not the same as a court judgment.
- Mediation settlement: The parties reach a voluntary agreement through mediation.
- Closure and notice: The agency closes the matter and may issue a notice describing the next legal steps. The specific court-filing rule depends on the statute.
- Conciliation: After a reasonable-cause finding, the EEOC seeks voluntary resolution.
- EEOC lawsuit or referral: If conciliation fails, the agency may litigate or refer the matter in specified circumstances.
If the EEOC does not sue, a charging party may receive a Notice of Right to Sue. For some Title VII and ADA matters, the notice is part of the path to court and commonly triggers a 90-day filing period. The ADEA and Equal Pay Act do not use the same right-to-sue prerequisite as Title VII and ADA claims. Check the statute-specific procedure rather than treating any one notice or period as universal.
What do the EEOC’s latest reported figures show?
The EEOC’s FY 2027 Agency Performance Plan and FY 2025 Agency Performance Report, released in 2026, report agency activity for fiscal year 2025. These are fiscal-year results, not current-year estimates or a prediction of what will happen in an individual charge.
Quick Recap
| FY 2025 measure | Reported result | What the figure measures |
|---|---|---|
| Charges resolved | 90,743 | Charges the EEOC resolved during FY 2025. |
| Pre-litigation monetary relief | Over $528 million | Monetary relief secured through pre-litigation enforcement during FY 2025. |
| Mediation resolutions | 7,929 of 11,346 mediations; 70% | Mediations resolved during FY 2025 and the report’s resolution rate; the report says these yielded almost $245.3 million in benefits to charging parties. |
| Conciliation recoveries | $52.2 million | Amount recovered through conciliation during FY 2025. |
| Merits lawsuits | 94 | Employment-discrimination merits lawsuits filed by EEOC field legal units during FY 2025. |
| Subpoena-enforcement actions | 13 | Actions filed by EEOC field legal units during FY 2025 to enforce subpoenas. |
| Merit factor resolutions | 17.5% | Share of charges resolved in FY 2025 with outcomes favorable to the charging party, under the EEOC’s “merit factor resolutions” category—not a court-judgment rate or a success rate for all charges filed. |
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