Thursday, January 28, 2021
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC)
Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Annual Performance Report (APR) shows a substantial decrease in the number of lawsuits filed by the agency. However, the APR shows a dramatic increase in the amount of monetary recoveries by the EEOC in litigation compared to FY 2019.
The EEOC notes that it continues to focus on efficiently processing new inquiries and claims and reducing its backlog of pending private sector charges. The agency also stresses its ongoing prioritization of education and outreach in the private sector. The report covers the period October 1, 2019, through September 30, 2020.
In total, the EEOC recovered $333.2 million in pre-litigation relief for those who work in the private sector and state and local government (down 4% from 2019), and an additional $106 million through its litigation efforts, nearly tripling its 2019 litigation total of $39.1 million. The EEOC also secured $96.2 million for federal employees and applicants through its federal sector process (a 4% decrease from 2019). The EEOC’s total claimed monetary achievements for FY 2020 was $535.4 million, a 10% increase from 2019.