On November 1, 2017, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) formally launched a nationwide inquiry and appointment system enabling potential charging parties to contact the agency via the internet. The new system had been piloted earlier this year in several EEOC district offices, and has now gone nationwide.
The new online inquiry and appointment system allows an individual to fill out a basic questionnaire and make an appointment for an intake interview, which is intended to facilitate the process for filing a charge of discrimination. The system asks five simple questions about the nature, timing, and location of an individual’s discrimination complaint and then helps the user set up an interview with an EEOC representative.
Importantly, the new system does not permit individuals to file formal charges of discrimination online, and makes clear that completing and submitting the online questionnaire is not a substitute for filing a valid charge. The system does enable an individual to digitally sign and file a charge, however, if the EEOC prepares a charge based on the information submitted.
The new online inquiry and appointment system can be accessed through the EEOC’s “Public Portal” homepage, here. Then, click on “I Want to File a Complaint.”
Members of the Center for Workplace Compliance (CWC) can read more here.