News Notes: EEOC Rakes In Big Cash

After reducing a huge backlog of cases, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed fewer charges last year but significantly increased the amount of money it won from employers. Settlements obtained before cases entered litigation totaled $145.2 million, just shy of the 1994 record of $146.3 million. Lawsuits generated another $51.2 million in awards last year, compared to $18 million in 1995. More race and sex discrimination cases were handled than any other type, followed by Americans with Disabilities Act claims, which have been rising steadily for five years.