Effect of State Policy on Charges Filed at the EEOC

New research on sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination

April 2019

Since 2013, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has allowed workers to file sex discrimination charges that allege sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. This report examines patterns and trends in charge filings made between 2012 and 2016.

AUTHORS

Amanda K. Baumle
Department Chair and Professor of Sociology, University of Houston
M.V. Lee Badgett
Distinguished Scholar
Steven Boutcher
Executive Officer, Law and Society Association

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Highlights

Researchers analyzed 9,121 charges and found about half included claims of discriminatory terminations and harassment.

Black workers and men had high rates of filing sexual orientation charges while women and White workers had high filing rates for gender identity charges.

The greatest increase in filing charges came from states without laws that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Data Points

58%

of charges of sexual orientation discrimination were filed by men

42%

of the sexual orientation discrimination charges were filed by women

63%

of charges of gender identity discrimination were filed by women

37%

of the gender identity discrimination charges were filed by men

54%

of charges alleged discharge

47%

alleged harassment

Please contact our communications office to request a copy of the full report.