Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Time Limit for Filing of EEOC Charges

When charges of discrimination get unresolved in the workplace, the filing of a case against the offenders or tormentors would be your last and only recourse.

Naturally, it would require the assistance of a knowledgeable employment and labor law attorney but still it would take time before the case is heard.
Take the case of the Muslim employees of the Electrolux plant in St. Cloud, Minnesota. According to the employees’ complaint, a Muslim employee filed a complaint in 2010 claiming that the company had changed its break schedule and allegedly threatened to terminate Muslim workers if they broke their fast on the production floor during the Ramadan fast.

The case was filed last year but as more employees have joined the lawsuit as complainants, the resolution of the dispute has taken longer than it should be.

However for complaining workers and employees, all discrimination charges must be filed with the EEOC within 180 days of the alleged violation. If the complaint is covered by state law, the filing deadline is extended to 300 days. To be sure, if you suspect that a discriminatory act is being committed by your employer, it is a good idea to contact the EEOC immediately.

But in cases involved equal pay issues or charges under the Equal Pay Act, no charges are required to be filed with the EEOC, prior to the lawsuit. But since claims under Equal Pay Act are often raised together with Title VII sex discrimination issues, the worker or employee may also file Title VII charges with the agency.

To help you file complaints and claims with the EEOC, you can consult with experienced Los Angeles employment and labor law attorneys. Call us at 1-866-325-4529 or email us at info@mesriani.com for a free case analysis.