Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, REPORTS—EEOC made nearly $660M in worker recoveries in FY 2025, (Apr 7, 2026)

By Patricia K. Ruiz, J.D.

The EEOC outlined enforcement results, operational metrics, and planning priorities in performance report.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported recovering nearly $660 million for workers subjected to employment discrimination in fiscal year 2025, according to its FY 2027 Agency Performance Plan and FY 2025 Agency Performance Report. The agency described record pre-litigation recoveries for private sector and state and local government workers, increased charge and appeal resolutions, and gains in mediation, conciliation, and systemic enforcement. The report also detailed outreach activity, federal sector outcomes, and performance goals and management challenges for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

Monetary recoveries and enforcement results. Through administrative enforcement and litigation, the EEOC reported recovering almost $660 million for 17,680 individuals across private sector, state and local government, and federal workplaces in FY 2025. Of that amount, $528 million was recovered for 13,351 workers in the private sector and state and local government through mediation, conciliation, and settlements in the pre-litigation enforcement process. The agency described this total as the highest recovery in its 60-year history and reported that it represented a 12 percent increase over fiscal year 2024. The EEOC also recovered more than $104.6 million for 1,824 federal employees and applicants, and $27 million for 2,505 individuals through litigation resolutions.

Charge processing, mediation, and conciliation. The report states that the EEOC processed 88,201 new discrimination charges in FY 2025, a volume that remained relatively steady compared to the prior year. During the same period, the agency resolved 90,743 charges, an increase of four percent over FY 2024, and reduced its private sector charge inventory to 49,807, a four percent decrease year over year. The EEOC reported resolving 7,929 of the 11,346 mediations conducted, achieving a 70 percent resolution rate and securing almost $245.3 million in benefits to charging parties. In conciliation, the agency resolved 34.5 percent of cases and recovered $52.2 million, which it said represented a 26 percent increase over fiscal year 2024 conciliation recoveries.

Systemic and federal sector outcomes. According to the report, the EEOC resolved 444 systemic investigations in FY 2025 and obtained over $55 million in monetary relief, reflecting a 20 percent increase in the number of systemic resolutions and an approximately 115 percent increase in monetary benefits compared to the prior fiscal year. In the federal sector, the agency reported a 67 percent increase in appellate resolutions, citing efforts to improve efficiency, productivity, and timeliness in the federal complaints and appeals process.

Litigation and priority enforcement areas. The EEOC outlined enforcement activity during FY 2025 in what it identified as priority areas, including race and sex discrimination arising from or related to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs; national origin discrimination involving preferences for foreign workers; sex-based rights in the workplace; and religious discrimination. The agency reported securing jury verdicts, settlements, consent decrees, and injunctive relief in claims brought under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and other statutes. The report also noted that the EEOC filed 10 new Title VII religious discrimination lawsuits during the fiscal year, more than triple the number filed in the previous year.

Outreach and public engagement. The EEOC reported conducting 2,067 no-cost outreach events in FY 2025, reaching 231,740 individuals nationwide. These included events focused on agency priorities and enforcement areas. The agency also reported responding to approximately 537,000 phone calls, 94,600 emails, and nearly 270,000 public inquiries, reflecting increased demand for EEOC services compared to fiscal year 2024.

Planning and management challenges. The report set forth the EEOC’s planned performance objectives for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 and identified major management challenges. These challenges included human resources management, data transformation and technology modernization, and artificial intelligence, as well as efforts to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness. The agency stated that the report aligns with its Strategic Plan for fiscal years 2022 through 2026 and complies with Office of Management and Budget performance reporting requirements.

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