Company Policy Deadlines: Many employers have internal deadlines for reporting harassment:
- Review your employee handbook carefully
- Note any time limits for filing internal complaints
- Understand that company deadlines don't override legal deadlines
- Document if company policies create unreasonable barriers to reporting
Best Practices for Timing:
- Report harassment as soon as possible after incidents
- Don't wait for harassment to escalate
- Document reasons for any delays in reporting
- Continue documenting incidents even during investigation
EEOC Filing Deadlines
Federal Deadline Requirements:
- 180 days: Standard federal deadline for filing EEOC charges
- 300 days: Extended deadline in states with their own civil rights agencies
- Deadlines typically run from the date of the last incident
- Some continuing violations may extend filing periods
State-Specific Variations:
- Research your state's specific deadlines
- Some states have longer filing periods
- State deadlines may differ from federal requirements
- Consider both state and federal options
Critical Deadline Factors:
- Deadlines are typically strict and rarely extended
- Filing an internal complaint doesn't stop EEOC deadline clocks
- Seek legal advice well before deadlines approach
- Document dates of all incidents to determine applicable deadlines