EEOC's Public Portal enables individuals to submit online inquiries and online requests for intake interviews with EEOC, and to submit and receive documents and messages related to their EEOC charge of discrimination. EEOC launched the system nationwide on November 1, 2017, after piloting the system in five EEOC offices since March 13, 2017.
EEOC's Public Portal is for individuals who believe they have experienced employment discrimination by a private employer, state or local government, union, or employment agency.
When you open the Public Portal page, just click on "I want to file a complaint." You will be asked a few questions to help determine if the EEOC is the right federal agency to handle a potential complaint involving employment discrimination. Those questions are:
It's a quick and easy way to find out if the EEOC can address the individual's situation.
If the EEOC does not have the legal authority to address your situation, we will refer you to other agencies that may be able to help you. If your answers suggest that the EEOC can address your situation, the system will instruct you to create a secure online account, answer a few more questions, and schedule an appointment for an intake interview with an EEOC staff member. The information you provide to the EEOC is confidential and will not be sent to your employer during the EEOC's investigation.
After you submit an online inquiry, you use the EEOC Public Portal to schedule an interview in person or by phone with an EEOC staff member. Just click "Schedule an Interview," which opens a calendar with available dates and times. We recommend that you schedule an interview with an EEOC representative to discuss the details of your situation. In our experience, an interview helps individuals make more informed decisions about whether to file a formal charge of discrimination.
Submitting an inquiry is different from filing a charge of discrimination
A charge of discrimination is a signed statement asserting that an organization engaged in employment discrimination. It requests EEOC to take remedial action. The laws require the EEOC to notify an employer that a charge of discrimination has been filed against it. The laws enforced by EEOC, except for the Equal Pay Act, require you to file a charge before you can file a lawsuit for unlawful discrimination. There are strict time limits for filing a charge.
You can find more information about the EEOC's Public Portal by clicking on FAQs.