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Discrimination cases against employers up
By Associated Press
Boston Glove, February
22, 2002
WSHINGTON - Job discrimination complaints filed against private employers with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission increased by 1.2 percent last year to 80,840 - the highest level in six years.
The commission is releasing its enforcement and litigation data today for the budget year 2001. The Associated Press obtained an advance copy of the report.
Last year's complaints were the highest since 1995, when 87,529 claims were filed. The increase and the economic recession the country entered last March probably are related, work force specialists said yesterday.
''It's not unusual to see an increase in complaints against employers when the economy has gone south and employees are being laid off,'' said Randy Johnson, US Chamber of Commerce's labor policy vice president.
Discrimination allegations based on age and disability had the highest rates of increase.
''The incidence rate of age and disability discrimination appears to be on the rise with the graying of America,'' said EEOC chairwoman Cari M. Dominguez. ''Employers must be vigilant in preventing such characteristics from being factored into their employment decisions.''
The rate of age discrimination complaints increased 1.5 percent last year to 21.5 percent of all allegations. The rate of disability discrimination complaints rose 0.5 percent to 20.4 percent of all cases in 2001.
''We've always found that whenever there is an economic downturn and employers have to do some cost-cutting, older workers more often than not bear the brunt of that,'' said Laurie McCann, a senior lawyer for the American Association of Retired Persons who specializes in age discrimination.
The aging baby boom generation also means more older workers are in the work force who are protected by age discrimination laws, she said.
Race discrimination allegations accounted for the most complaints at 35.8 percent. Sex followed at 31.1 percent.
Overall, 431 job discrimination-related lawsuits were filed last year, the EEOC said.
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