When should I hear back from the EEOC

[civilly]

What is the name of your state? CA

Husband filed a charge with the EEOC about job harassment, discrimination, etc. back in Jan. 2007. The intake person even checked with her boss who agreed about the charges. Then husband is asked if he was willing to do mediation. He said yes.

Finally a date was set in May 2007. That day got postponed because his boss couldn't make it (on a false reason). Husband let the EEOC know that he didn't want his boss there. So another date was set up for the HR and personnel reps to show up. The HR person claimed he couldn't make it (for another ridiculous reason), but when husband was reluctant to set up another date, it was decided this would stick.

At the mediation, the other side wasn't prepared (according to their own website and the EEOC's, both sides are to come prepared with the facts and be prepared to bargain in good faith) as the personnnel person never contacted husband as her own department's letter said she would (and he certainly wasn't going to contact them). She admitted she "dropped the ball." The HR person kept huffing and puffing as my husband read a 30-minute narrative of their sins. After that, the lawyer who was acting as a mediator, told us in a separate room that he was "appalled."

Back in the conference room, husband read off his demands. After lunch, the HR person went through each demand and said no. Even after the lawyer made a comment that certain things should be "sancosant." At the end of the day, everyone decided that this was a failure. The lawyer told us (away from the others) we should definitely look for a lawyer (which we've been trying to do the last couple of months but running into law firms being too scared to take on a major municipality). The HR person made an insulting comment about the personnel person (which didn't go unnoticed by us) probably dropping the ball again as she needs to submit a report to the EEOC.

The case gets assigned to an investigator in June. Husband calls the investigator offering to send the narration as well as a timeline. She says great. We don't hear anything more. So he calls in August and she says she doesn't believe the charges can be tried to discrimation and retaliation as far as the EEOC is concerned. He asks about the charge of revealing of his medical info by his boss so that everyone in the whole department as well as the customer knows he went out on a stress leave. She said that was different. He said he was sending names and phone numbers of co-workers who may be able to verify this. She asked if he was willing to settle and he said yes and stated his terms.

It's now over a year since he's gone to the EEOC. We haven't received any communication. Husband is still too stress out to call.

Is this normal? Should we be concerned? Would they have sent any communication in just a regular letter via US Mail or would they send something certified?

[mitousmom]

Your husband needs to call the EEOC and ask the status of his case.