The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Definitions of Terms
- Administrative Closure
- Charge closed for administrative reasons, which include:
failure to locate charging party, charging party failed to respond
to EEOC
communications, charging party refused to accept full relief,
closed due to the outcome of related litigation which establishes a
precedent that makes further processing of the charge futile,
charging party requests withdrawal of a charge without receiving
benefits or having resolved the issue, no statutory
jurisdiction.
- Merit Resolutions
- Charges with outcomes favorable to charging parties and/or
charges with meritorious allegations. These include negotiated
settlements, withdrawals with benefits, successful conciliations,
and unsuccessful conciliations.
- No Reasonable Cause
- EEOC's
determination of no reasonable cause to believe that discrimination
occurred based upon evidence obtained in investigation. The
charging party may exercise the right to bring private court
action.
- Reasonable Cause
- EEOC's
determination of reasonable cause to believe that discrimination
occurred based upon evidence obtained in investigation. Reasonable
cause determinations are generally followed by efforts to
conciliate the discriminatory issues which gave rise to the initial
charge. NOTE: Some reasonable cause findings are resolved through
negotiated settlements, withdrawals with benefits, and other types
of resolutions, which are not characterized as either successful or
unsuccessful conciliations.
- Settlements (Negotiated)
- Charges settled with benefits to the charging party as
warranted by evidence of record. In such cases, EEOC and/or a
FEPA is
a party to the settlement agreement between the charging party and
the respondent (an employer, union, or other entity covered by
EEOC-enforced
statutes).
- Successful Conciliation
- Charge with reasonable cause determination closed after
successful conciliation. Successful conciliations result in
substantial relief to the charging party and all others adversely
affected by the discrimination.
- Unsuccessful Conciliation
- Charge with reasonable cause determination closed after efforts
to conciliate the charge are unsuccessful. Pursuant to Commission
policy, the field office will close the charge and review it for
litigation consideration. NOTE: Because "reasonable cause" has been
found, this is considered a merit resolution.
- Withdrawal with Benefits
- Charge is withdrawn by charging party upon receipt of desired
benefits. The withdrawal may take place after a settlement or after
the respondent grants the appropriate benefit to the charging
party.
This page was last modified on January 31, 2007.
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