Write an article based on this "Determine which agency you will report to. File a charge with the EEOC. Write a letter to the EEOC. File a charge with your state administrative agency."
Federal antidiscrimination law applies to those employers who employ 15 or more employees (20 or more employees for age discrimination claims). If your employer is covered, then you can report a hostile work environment to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). If your employer is not covered by federal law, then you may report to your state's equivalent agency. If your employer is covered by both state and federal laws, then you can choose which agency to file your charge with. If your state's laws are more protective of employees than federal law, consider filing with your state agency. For example, California has more stringent workplace protections than federal law requires. If you live in California, you should consider filing a report with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. You should use the EEOC's assessment tool at https://egov.eeoc.gov/eas/ to figure out which agency to file with. If you choose to report to the EEOC, then you can file a charge with any of its field offices. On the EEOC website there is a map of the 53 field offices around the country. You should contact the office nearest you. Some offices require appointments while others accept walk-ins. Call ahead of time and ask. Don't wait to file. Generally, you have 180 days to file a charge with the EEOC. The deadline is extended if your state law provides a longer deadline. However, you shouldn't wait too long. If the nearest field office is too far away for you to visit, then you can file a charge by writing a letter. Make sure that the letter includes the following information: your name, address, and telephone number your employer's name, address, and telephone number the number of employees employed there a short description of the events you believe were discriminatory when the events took place that a protected characteristic was the motivation for the discriminatory events your signature The exact process will vary from state to state. For example, in California, you must first file a "pre-complaint inquiry." There are four different ways to do so: Call 800-884-1684 (or 800-884-1684 if deaf or hard of hearing). Fill out and mail the Inquiry form to any Department of Fair Employment and Housing Office. Email a completed Inquiry form to contact.center@dfeh.ca.gov.