The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission collected a record $665 million in fiscal year 2023 for workers who faced discrimination, almost a 30% increase over fiscal year 2022, the agency reported Monday.

The performance report covers Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2023.

“During fiscal year 2023, the agency prioritized tackling systemic discrimination in all forms and on all bases; preventing and combating workplace harassment; advancing racial justice; preventing and remedying retaliation; advancing pay equity; fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in the workplace to promote equal opportunity; examining the use of technology, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other automated systems, in employment decisions; and ensuring that the EEOC has the resources needed to effectively enforce the law and serve the public,” EEOC Chair Charlotte A. Burrows stated. 

The EEOC recovered approximately $440 million for 15,143 workers determined to have experienced employment discrimination in the private sector and state and local government workplaces, through mediation, conciliation and settlements, the agency said. Additionally, the agency collected more than $202 million for 5,943 federal employees and applicants, an increase of 53% over the previous fiscal year.

“During fiscal year 2023, the charges of discrimination filed with the EEOC, as well as calls and emails to the agency’s contact center, continued to increase significantly compared with prior fiscal years,” Burrows said.

The commission received more than 522,000 calls from the public through the agency contact center and saw a 10% increase in private-sector charges of discrimination. The EEOC previously noted in a year-end litigation round-up that it had filed more than 50% more employment discrimination lawsuits in fiscal year 2023 than it had the year before.

Citing other FY23 news, the agency noted that it enacted the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, by which employers must make reasonable accommodations for workers’ known limitations due to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions. The EEOC began accepting PWFA charges on the law’s effective date, June 27, also releasing educational resources for employers and workers and conducting public outreach.

In addition, the EEOC noted in its performance report that it had received 81,055 new discrimination charges, 233,704 inquiries in field offices, more than 522,000 calls from the public through the agency contact center, and more than 86,000 emails, representing respective increases of 10.3%, 6.9%, 10% and 25%, respectively, over fiscal year 2022. The agency filed 143 new lawsuits, including 86 suits on behalf of individuals, 32 non-systemic suits with multiple alleged victims, and 25 systemic suits involving multiple alleged victims or discriminatory policies.

The EEOC obtained more than $22.6 million for 968 individuals in litigation while resolving 98 lawsuits and achieving favorable results in 91% of all federal district court resolutions.