Any employee who believes their employment rights were violated can file a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). If you choose to do so, you will need specific documents, so that the EEOC knows your complaint is genuine.
In addition to providing your personal details, you will also need to make evidence like witness reports, emails, texts and telephone conversations that prove you have been the subject of discrimination available to the EEOC. Such evidence is important because it can help to support your claim.
Finally, it is crucial that you begin the complaints process with the EEOC as soon as you possibly can. This is because there are established time limits in regard to filing claims that start on the date in which the discrimination took place.
What Information Will I Need When Filing an EEOC Complaint?
When you file a charge of discrimination by sending a letter to the EEOC, it should include the following information:
- your name, address, telephone number, and email;
- your employer’s name, address, telephone number, and email;
- the specific size of—i.e., number of employees in—your workplace;
- a short description of the actions you believe were discriminating against you (e.g., you were harassed, demoted, and/or fired as a result of you being a part of a protected class;
- when this discrimination took place;
- reasons that support your belief that you have suffered discrimination such as due to your membership of a protected group based on certain characteristics like your race, national origin, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, pregnancy, and sexual orientation), age (40 years or older), genetic information, disability, or retaliation;
- your signature.
The EEOC will assign an officer to review your case and will request more information if required.
What Documents Do I Need When Filing an EEOC Claim?
One of the most important type of documents you will need when filing an EEOC claim is supporting evidence. Examples of evidence you may need for your claim are performance evaluations and/or communications that show you have been illegally discriminated against.
Such examples could be related to jobs that are allocated to you (and not to others who are not a part of your protected class), denial of promotion despite positive job evaluations, as well as the names of people who observed the discrimination.
What Else May I Need When Filing an EEOC Claim?
If you are filing a claim with the EEOC in person, you can bring anyone else who can help you to file your claim to the meeting (e.g., an interpreter, lawyer, etc.). If you need an interpreter but don’t have one, you can inform the EEOC of this and they can provide you with one.
If the EEOC is unable to determine if your employer has broken the law, it will send you a Right to Sue notice. Conversely, if the EEOC determines that the law may have been broken, it will attempt to reach a voluntary settlement with your employer.
Get Help with Your EEOC Complaint
When filing a complaint with the EEOC, it is important to provide suitable evidence that supports your discrimination claim. Seeking help from an attorney—by completing the Free Case Evaluation on this page to get connected with an independent, participating attorney who subscribes to our website—could help you accurately complete the EEOC forms and gather appropriate evidence that supports your claim.
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