There is EEOC 1 area office in Kansas, which is located in Kansas City, KS. If you choose to file an EEOC claim, you will need to do it with that office.
Due to COVID-19, however, you cannot visit this office in person and all interviews are being done by telephone. To schedule an appointment, please call or email your local EEOC office or use the EEOC Public Portal.
What Does the EEOC Do?
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC, is a federal agency that looks into claims of workplace discrimination based off of protected characteristics like sex, age, disability, and race. It is empowered to investigate misconduct in the following entities:
- U.S. employers with at least 15 employees (For age discrimination cases, must be a minimum of 20 employees)
- Employment agencies
- Labor unions
If the EEOC finds that your employer is taking discriminatory actions against you, it can order the mistreatment to stop. If the company does not comply, the EEOC can take the matter to court.
How Do You Contact the EEOC?
If you are a Kansas employee experiencing workplace discrimination, you can contact the EEOC in the following ways:
- Online at the EEOC Public Portal
- In person at your nearest EEOC office
- By phone at 1-800-669-4000
- Sending mail to your closest EEOC office
EEOC Office Information in Kansas
Kansas City Area Office
- Gateway Tower II
- 400 State Ave., Suite 905
- Kansas City, KS 66101
- Office Hours: M-F 8:30 AM-4:00 PM
- Director: Natascha DeGuire
- Regional Attorney: Andrea Baran
How Many Days Do You Have to Contact the EEOC Office?
In Kansas, you have up to 300 calendar days to file a workplace discrimination claim. You can do this through the EEOC or through the Kansas Human Rights Commission, which works with the EEOC to process claims.
Kansas State Employment Laws
Under the Kansas Civil Rights Act, employers may not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age (18 or older) national origin, religion, disability, or pregnancy. Some cities have local ordinances that provide even broader protections.
State law also makes it illegal to retaliate against a person because they have lawfully opposed any discriminatory practices.
The Kansas Wage Payment Act mandates that all employees be paid their wages on time and in full.
Employers may not make deductions for cash or inventory shortages, breakages, bad checks or declined credit car sales, losses arising from alleged negligent acts, or deductions for items that aren’t necessary for you to do your job.
Although the Act does not provide for attorney's fees, it does assign a 1% per day penalty for the first 100 days that you go unpaid.
Next Steps to Take
If you want to file a workplace discrimination claim in Kansas, you may go through the EEOC or the Kansas Human Rights Commission, which is a Fair Employment Practice Agency (FEPA).
Tribal Employment Rights Offices are also empowered to investigate discrimination charges.
If you are dealing with workplace discrimination and retaliation, help is available. An employment law attorney can help you file a claim with the EEOC or Kansas Human Rights Commission, so seek legal counsel when your rights have been affected.
