Sometimes, management lawyers like to scare potential clients and sometimes, they are simply concerned. But, either way, they over-state the effect EEOC has. The EEOC means well, but they simply have too many cases to perform an actual investigation. Each investigator carries 75-80 cases per investigator. Their budget was cut way back in the 1980’s and has seen little relief since. One local San Antonio management lawyer actually suggests business owners should be wary of the EEOC. ("The EEOC Is On The Hunt. Are You The Prey?") Is he kidding??
He must understand, as we all do who deal with the EEOC, that the EEOC very rarely finds in favor the employee. Unfortunately, the EEOC is often a paper tiger.
I was in federal court once when a federal judge chastised a government lawyer for suggesting that since the EEOC did not find in favor of the employee, there was something wrong with the employee’s case. The judge fussed at the lawyer and told him the EEOC does little or nothing in almost every case they get. The EEOC means well. They really do want to do right by the employee and the employer. But, unfortunately, they accomplish very little in 99 out of 100 cases.