EEOC 300 Day Rule

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces Federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. These laws protect you against employment discrimination when it involves:

• Unfair treatment because of your race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
• Harassment by managers, co-workers, or others in your workplace, because of your race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
• Denial of a reasonable workplace accommodation that you need because of your religious beliefs or disability.
• Retaliation because you complained about job discrimination, or assisted with a job discrimination investigation or lawsuit.

For a claim of discrimination, you have 300 days in which to file your complaint. If you fail to file within that time, generally you lose the right to make any complaint at all. Other claims may have shorter time allowances.

If you have accepted a settlement for termination and signed a waiver of rights to file a complaint, you may have lost the right to bring a claim.

If you feel you have a legitimate claim against an employer, it may be best that you talk to a lawyer who has experience in employment law. It takes time to prepare and file a claim so don’t lose your rights due to waiting too long.