Retaliation, Discrimination Filings on the Rise

Dallas attorney Paul Lanagan was quoted in the article "Retaliation, Discrimination Filings on the Rise" in the July 27 issue of the Dallas Business Journal. The article reported that the number of Equal Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charges filed against employers has increased rapidly since 2009. Paul said the economy is a major factor. "There have been more layoffs and terminations over the last couple of years, so there are more people who are out of work and available to file a charge." Paul also noted that another reason for the rise is changes in the laws that increase the pool of people who may be filing EEOC charges. Recent amendments to the Americans with Disability Act has meant that more people are considered disabled under the law and this has created more opportunity for discrimination claims.