How to Prove Workplace Discrimination to the EEOC

The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) handles complaints from employees who allege they were discriminated against for personal characteristics such as age, sex, disability, race, genetics, origin, or religion. In order to prove workplace discrimination to the EEOC, you must provide evidence of the discrimination, and this evidence can take a variety of forms, including: documents, your statements, and witness statements. You may file your claim in person or by mail, and the EEOC will investigate.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Provide information regarding the company and your employment. In order to prove workplace discrimination to the EEOC, you must state the name of the company, the company's address, its telephone number, and the number of people it employs. In order for a company to be come under the jurisdiction of the EEOC, it must employ a minimum of either 15 or 20 employees, depending on the type of claim being made. Providing this information allows the EEOC to determine whether it can take up the complaint.

2. State the type of discrimination that you are charging occurred and detail the events that led to your complaint. Provide specifics, including the date and time of the discriminatory acts and who the perpetrator was. State the acts or event that constituted discrimination. Was it a firing or being denied a position? Did it involve an inappropriate comment or touching?

3. Submit any documents that serve as evidence of the discriminatory event. Provide any notice of termination, pictures, witness statements, and names and contact information of anyone who witnessed the event.

References

• United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: The Charge Handling Process
• United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: Coverage
• United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: How to File a Charge of Employment Discrimination