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The recent economic crisis has far-reaching consequences, including a possible impact on employment discrimination claims. While it may be too early to tell whether the current economic downturn will result in a noticeable change, previous economic downturns correlated with a rise in employment discrimination claims.
This correlation may be due to several factors. First, employers may be forced to downsize, and supervisors may make lay-off decisions motivated by bias. Second, an individual who has been discharged from one position may be worried about finding new employment, and thus may more closely examine whether he has a potential discrimination claim. Finally, an individual who remains unemployed for a significant time period may be more inclined to pursue an issue with his former employer than an individual who finds new work immediately.
Statistics reveal that discrimination charges may be increasing in number. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”), the agency that enforces federal anti-discrimination laws, maintains records regarding discrimination charges filed in a particular year. The EEOC investigated approximately 13,000 more charges in 2008 (95,402 total) than in 2007.
If you would like to speak to an employment law attorney about an employment-related matter, contact the employment lawyers at Clouse Dunn LLP at info@cdklawyers.com.
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