EEOC Considers Expanding Retaliation Protections

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently released proposed guidance addressing retaliation under federal employment discrimination laws. Retaliation, the most frequently alleged type of charge filed with the EEOC, accounted for nearly 43% of 2014 charges against private employers. The guidance, which would include nonprofits, expands the scope of employee activity protected from employer retaliation. It also expands the definition of “adverse employment action” that would constitute retaliation to include reprimands, threats, undesirable transfers or work assignments, and negative evaluations.