In 2016, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) resolved more than 97,443 workplace discrimination claims—securing more than $482 million from employers in the private and public sectors as a result of these claims. Discrimination lawsuits can be very time-consuming and expensive for employers, and can result in a loss of employee morale or reputation within the community.

What Employers Should Do

Employers should take the following steps to protect themselves from retaliation and other discrimination claims:

  • Audit their practices to uncover any problematic situations and practices.
  • Create a clear anti-retaliation policy that includes specific examples of what management can and cannot do when disciplining or terminating employees.
  • Provide training to management and employees on anti-retaliation and other discrimination policies.
  • Implement a user-friendly internal complaint procedure for employees.
  • Uphold a standard of workplace civility, which can reduce retaliatory behaviors.