The EEOC released its Enforcement and Litigation Statistics report for fiscal year 2023 earlier this week, which contains (among other things) a breakdown of the types of charges it has received over the last year.
Overall, the number of EEOC charges filed has increased compared to the past few years, and that race-, sex-, disability- and retaliation-based charges make up the majority of these charges.
This breakdown seems to reflect the heightened awareness, in both the workplace and in the media, surrounding issues relating to race, sex/gender equality and disabilities (especially mental health conditions) over the last several years.
It also highlights the fact that retaliation claims (which made up the largest proportion of charges filed in 2023) continue to be a significant area of risk for employers, and indicates that employers more often run into issues in terms of how they handle an individual’s employment after that individual has asserted a claim of discrimination or harassment (or engages in other protected activity)– even if that claim is without merit – than actually engaging in or failing to address discriminatory conduct.
You can view the EEOC and Litigation Statistics here: Enforcement and Litigation Statistics | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission