EEOC data shows spike in sexual harassment claims since #MeToo movement

Since the start of the #MeToo movement, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed 50 percent more sexual harassment lawsuits than it did the previous year, according to agency data released on October 4, 2018. 

The EEOC filed 66 harassment lawsuits in fiscal 2018, of which 41 were based on sexual harassment allegations. It recovered nearly $70 million for sexual harassment victims in fiscal 2018, compared with approximately $47 million recovered in fiscal 2017.

This information should serve as an additional incentive to employers to ensure that workplace harassment policies and procedures are up to date and that managers and staff have received effective training to prevent and address sexual harassment in the workplace.