What does the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission do?

Updates published annually

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is an independent executive branch agency tasked with enforcing workplace discrimination laws. Its functions include investigating charges of discrimination against employers, providing guidance and oversight on equal employment practices, and conducting outreach and education programs. Most companies with 15 or more employees are under EEOC jurisdiction. The agency was established by the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

In FY 2024,

$464M

was spent by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

In FY 2024,

<0.1%

of federal spending was by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

How much does the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission spend?

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission spent $464 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 0.0068% of the $6.78 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked 46th among federal agencies in total spending.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accounted for <0.1% of all federal spending in FY 2024.

Share of EEOC net spending compared to the top ten highest spending agencies in FY 2024

Federal spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s federal spending has decreased from $509.5 million in 1980 to $464 million in 2024.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Yearly federal net spending by EEOC, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1980–2024

Since 1980, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's spending has decreased 8.9%, while overall spending has increased 193.7%.

The department’s spending grew less than overall spending, which means that the department’s share of the federal budget decreased. In 2024, EEOC accounted for 0.0068% of all federal spending. That’s 0.0028 percentage points lower than 2014 and 0.015 points lower than in 1980.

Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to EEOC, FYs 1980–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.

In FY 2024, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission transferred 6.9% of its total spending to states and local governments.

The chart below outlines all EEOC spending.

How did the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to EEOC, FY 2024

How many people work for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission?

Some 2,000 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission as of September 2024. This is 14.8% fewer people than the agency staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has decreased 14.8% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for EEOC, September 2010–2024

EEOC accounts for 0.094% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. EEOC constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 than in 2010 (0.1%).

While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's share of the workforce (0.094%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.0068%).

Who leads the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission?

The EEOC is led by a chair, who is nominated by the president, confirmed by the Senate, and then sworn into office. The chair is part of, and oversees, the five-member commission, which enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. The chair’s term usually lasts for the duration of the president’s administration but may end sooner if the administrator resigns or is replaced.

Keep exploring

Enter some text...

Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

Office of Personnel Management
FedScope
Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury
Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement