As The Economy Struggles, EEOC Charges Increase

The cataclysmic effects of the longest and deepest recession since the 1929 depression will significantly change many aspects of our society for generations. The devastating impact of the recession on large segments of the workforce can be counted as one of the more significant effects. While it remains to be seen how the recession will change the psyche of this generation over the long term, one objective measure showing one aspect of the change is the large increase in EEOC charges as the economy nose dived.

While the correlation between the downward slope of the economy and the rise in the EEOC charges is significant and telling, the precise cause-and-effect relationship is less apparent. Start with the correlation: the downward spiral of the economy began in December of 2007. The recession continued to deepen during 2008 and then crashed after Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy on September 15, 2008. The economy continues to struggle even today.