Employment Rights Resources and Authorities
Advancing Fairness is a starting point, not a destination. The organizations and tools below are authoritative, publicly accessible sources for anyone who wants to go deeper into workplace civil rights. We list them for education and do not endorse, represent, or receive anything from any of them. Always confirm current information at the source.
Federal Agencies
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) — the primary federal enforcer of workplace anti-discrimination laws, with guidance, statistics, and a public portal for filing charges.
- U.S. Department of Labor — explanations of worker protections and links to related programs.
- U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division — enforcement of civil-rights laws, including employment by state and local governments.
Civil-Rights and Advocacy Organizations
Many nonprofit organizations research discrimination, educate the public, and advocate for stronger protections. Long-standing national examples include the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and the American Civil Liberties Union. These groups publish accessible explainers and reports on employment civil rights. We reference them as public educational resources only; this site is not affiliated with any of them.
Research and Court Records
- PACER — public access to federal court filings, including complaints, decisions, and consent decrees.
- Cornell Legal Information Institute (Wex) — a free, reliable legal encyclopedia maintained by Cornell Law School.
- EEOC Enforcement Statistics — annual data on charges, findings, and monetary relief.
How to Use These Sources
If you are researching a specific case, start with primary documents — the complaint, any agency determination, and the settlement or decree — before relying on secondary coverage. If you are trying to understand your own situation, the EEOC and your state fair-employment agency can explain deadlines and options, and a licensed employment attorney can assess the facts. Our know your rights guide outlines sensible first steps, and our glossary defines the terms you will encounter along the way.
Reliable information is the foundation of fairness. We hope these pointers help you find it.