Job-bias claims on rise, agency says

January 12, 2011|Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The number of federal job-bias complaints climbed to a record last year, led by a surge in workers claiming discrimination because of their disabilities. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said such charges rose by about 17 percent to 25,165 claims.

Overall, the agency received nearly 100,000 claims during the 2010 fiscal year, a 7 percent increase and the highest number in its 45-year history.

The spike in disability claims began after Congress approved changes to the Americans with Disabilities Act in 2009. The changes made it easier for people with treatable conditions like epilepsy and mental illness to show they are disabled.

The EEOC’s chairwoman, Jacqueline Berrien, said it has spent the past two years boosting its staff to cope with the growing number of claims and curbing a backlog.

“Discrimination continues to be a substantial problem for too many job seekers and workers,’’ Berrien said. “We must continue to build our capacity to enforce the laws and ensure that workplaces are free of unlawful bias.’’

The unemployment rate for disabled workers is 14.3 percent, compared with 8.9 percent for people with no disability, according to the Labor Department.

Discrimination claims rose in every category and, as in past years, claims based on race, sex, and retaliation were most frequent.

Race-discrimination claims rose 7 percent.

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