Do antidiscrimination laws actually enhance equality of opportunity in the workplace? Using longitudinal data obtained the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission combined with firm-level data collected from an online business directory, we address this question by examining how work organizations respond to discrimination charges filed under federal antidiscrimination laws. Enforcement statistics reveal that fewer than one in five workers win discrimination claims against their employers. Given this clear employer advantage, the first stage of this research examines the mechanisms by which work organizations successfully defend discrimination charges, with specific attention to the role legal resources and experience play in ensuring victory for employers. Second, in an effort to identify the long term impact of discrimination claims, this research assesses whether discrimination charges, settlements, and lawsuits affects firms' progress toward sex and racial diversity. Research findings will identify the extent to which organizations improve employment opportunities for women and racial minorities in the wake of discrimination charges, and provide insight into an ongoing theoretical debate regarding the potential of civil rights law to bring about social change.
Beyond its theoretical contribution, this research has direct policy implications for the enforcement of federal antidiscrimination laws. First, analyses will detail the mechanisms by which employers maintain an advantage in resolving discrimination charges and identify the rare conditions under which workers win. This information will aid regulatory agents in securing fair charge outcomes for complainants and employers alike. In addition, analyses will detail the consequence of antidiscrimination enforcement efforts -- including complaint filings, settlements, and litigation-- for obtaining employers' compliance with equal employment opportunity laws. By disseminating research findings to fair employment agencies, this project will enable regulatory officials to identify the enforcement mechanisms that facilitate progress toward gender and racial equity in the workplace.
