L02 Employment Legislation Enforcement - State and Local

 

Many states, including Pennsylvania, have a state-level agency that may receive discrimination complaints at the same time as the federal-level EEOC. In Pennsylvania, it is called the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC, logo shown to the right). When a complaint is filed at the state or local level, the time limit to file is increased to 300 days.

Normally, state or city ordinances offer increased protection against discrimination in employment (as well as other areas, such as housing or education opportunities). For example, in Pennsylvania, the PHRC covers employers that have 4 or more employees, unlike federal legislation that applies only to organizations with 15 or more employees. Other categories of discrimination that are included in the PHRC (state level), but not by the EEOC (at the federal level), include possession of a GED diploma, or participation or refusal to participate in abortion or sterilization.

Across the country, states and cities may offer protection for other characteristics or organizational sizes that are not included at the federal level. You are encouraged to discover the protections offered at your state and local level.