- The U.S. Department of Labor recently reported that in 2009 the jobless rate among people without disabilities was 9%, while the rate for those with disabilities was 14.4%. 22.4% of those people 16 years of age or older with disabilities were employed; while those without disabilities was 70.9%.
The largest percentage of people with disabilities was in the 55-64 age range, likely accounted for by the fact that people defined as being disabled tend to be skewed up to the older age groups. Of this group, only 25.1% were employed – the unemployment rate goes down as the age group goes down.
- A recent report by the Joint Economic Committee of Congress found that despite the fact that more women are educated and employed today than 25 years ago, nonetheless in 2009 women, on average, earned only 80% of what men earned.
- The number of employment cases filed in federal court in the second quarter of 2010 increased by 62% from the second quarter of 2009, with FLSA actions rising 25%, and actions under the ADA rising 37%. Contrast that with an increase in this period of 2.33% in the number of all cases filed.
- Recent EEOC statistics reveal that the number of claims for pregnancy discrimination has increased by 30%, while claims of all other types of employment discrimination has increased by 25%. This may be accounted for by the increase in the number of women in the workforce; women’s increasing awareness of their legal rights; and employers’ concomitant lack of awareness and/or respect for the rights of pregnant women.
- The EEOC recently reported that sexual harassment claims by men increased from 8% to 16% in the last 20 years. Moreover, the number of gender discrimination claims filed by men has similarly increased.
- In a report entitled “New Millennium, Same Glass Ceiling? The Impact of Law Firm Compensation Systems on Women,” the Project for Attorney Retention (at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law) and the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, found that male lawyers still out-earn female lawyers, with women earning 74% of what men earn. Women equity partners earn $66,000 less than their male counterparts.
- Recently, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted to approve $385.3 million for the EEOC for the 2011 fiscal year, an increase of $18 million over the current annual budget, in part because of an enormous backlog of claims.
