Estimated reading time: 16 minutes

Key Takeaways

• In 2015, the EEOC received roughly 28,000 charges that included harassment allegations; about 45% of those alleged harassment on the basis of sex.

• Harassment was alleged in approximately one-third of all EEOC charges in FY 2015, when the agency received 89,385 total discrimination charges nationwide.

• The EEOC’s Select Task Force highlighted sex-based harassment as a major share of harassment claims and pushed a renewed focus on prevention and accountability.

• Sex-based harassment and sexual harassment are related but not identical concepts; understanding the difference matters for filing and evidence.

• Harassment trends intersect with workers’ compensation when abuse contributes to psychological injury, stress-related conditions, or physical harm.

• Act quickly to preserve evidence and meet deadlines if you are facing harassment; federal and state timelines can be short.

Table of Contents

• Introduction

• The 2015 EEOC Harassment Landscape

• Charges and Proportions

• What Counts as “Harassment” in EEOC Data?

• What Percentage Was on the Basis of Sex?

• Understanding Sex-Based vs. Sexual Harassment

• How the EEOC Calculated These Figures

• How These Harassment Trends Affect Workers’ Compensation

• Psychological Injury and Stress Claims

• Reporting, Retaliation, and Safety Risks

• Legal Framework and EEOC Process

• Filing a Charge and Deadlines

• Evidence and Employer Liability

• Prevention and Response Best Practices

• For Employees Facing Harassment

• For Employers Building Safer Workplaces

• Data Caveats and Methodology Notes

• Multi-Basis Allegations and Rounding

• Where to Find Official Statistics

• Conclusion

• FAQ

• What share of 2015 harassment charges were sex-based?

• Is sex-based harassment the same as sexual harassment?

• How do I file an EEOC charge if I faced harassment?

• Can harassment lead to a workers’ compensation claim?

• What trend did the EEOC emphasize after 2015?

Introduction

Employees and advocates often ask a specific question about the 2015 data: in 2015 the eeoc received 28000 alleging harassment charges. what percentage was on the basis of sex?

The short answer is that roughly half—about 45%—of those harassment charges alleged harassment on the basis of sex. That share comes from the EEOC’s harassment task force review of FY 2015 charge data, which identified the volume and makeup of harassment allegations across protected classes.

To put the year in context, the EEOC received 89,385 total workplace discrimination charges in FY 2015, resolving 92,641 charges through investigation, mediation, and other processes. The agency emphasized harassment as a systemic concern and invested in task force work and guidance to address it. These priorities were reflected in subsequent years’ enforcement and education efforts.

The 2015 EEOC Harassment Landscape

Harassment was widespread in the 2015 charge data. The EEOC’s leadership created a special task force and published a comprehensive report to spotlight how common harassment was and how to reduce it.

Charges and Proportions

Multiple sources confirm the scale. The EEOC’s own reporting shows it received 89,385 total charges in FY 2015, with tens of thousands including harassment allegations. Agency leadership noted that almost one-third of all charges contained at least one harassment claim, underscoring how routine abusive conduct had become in the workplace.

During the harassment task force’s investigation, the data point that stands out is volume: approximately 28,000 charges filed in FY 2015 included harassment allegations. Attorneys and compliance professionals cited this figure to highlight the need for robust prevention and response systems across industries.

Third-party employment law updates around that time also echoed the same trend: harassment was alleged in roughly 30% of charges, and the agency was clearly turning strategic attention to curbing harassment, with more training, education, and enforcement initiatives to follow.

What Counts as “Harassment” in EEOC Data?

In EEOC data, “harassment” refers to unwelcome conduct based on a protected characteristic—such as sex, race, disability, age, or religion—that becomes illegal when it either results in a tangible employment action or is severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile work environment. The agency’s work on harassment stretches back years, including dedicated commission meetings and a multi-disciplinary task force to clarify what harassment looks like, why it persists, and how to stop it.

If you are experiencing ongoing abusive conduct, it may qualify as a hostile work environment. For a plain-English breakdown of definitions and examples, see our guide on what is a hostile work environment.

What Percentage Was on the Basis of Sex?

Based on the task force’s review of FY 2015 charges, about 45% of the approximately 28,000 harassment charges were on the basis of sex. Put simply, nearly half of all harassment allegations in 2015 involved sex-based harassment.

That finding sits alongside two important points the agency highlighted:

• Harassment was alleged in almost one-third of all charges received that year.

• Sexual harassment claims (a subset of sex-based harassment) were trending upward as a share of total charge receipts in the years that followed.

Remember that a single charge can include multiple legal theories. For example, one filing might allege harassment based on sex and race. The percentages by basis therefore can sum to more than 100% because they reflect overlapping allegations within the same charge.

Understanding Sex-Based vs. Sexual Harassment

Sex-based harassment is a broad category. It includes sexual harassment (such as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or verbal/physical conduct of a sexual nature) and non-sexual conduct based on sex, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity that targets someone because of sex.

When you think about sex-based harassment, imagine two overlapping circles. One circle is all harassment because of sex. The other is conduct that is sexual in nature. The overlap is sexual harassment, but sex-based harassment also covers gender-based slurs, hostility toward someone because of pregnancy, or abusive treatment because someone is transgender—even when there is no sexual content.

If your experience includes sexualized conduct, our explainer on understanding workplace sexual harassment breaks down definitions, examples, and your legal options in simple terms.

How the EEOC Calculated These Figures

The EEOC’s charge system allows employees to allege multiple bases and theories within one filing. The task force aggregated FY 2015 charges that included harassment allegations, then analyzed the share of those that alleged each basis—sex, race, disability, age, national origin, religion, and others. That is how we know that “about 45%” of harassment charges were sex-based.

Separately, the agency tracks sexual harassment claims and has reported that, as a percentage of total charge receipts, sexual harassment claims steadily increased across FY 2015–2019. Those trends helped frame later initiatives to strengthen reporting, training, and accountability.

How These Harassment Trends Affect Workers’ Compensation

Harassment data is not just an EEOC or civil-rights story—it also affects workplace health and safety and, in some states, workers’ compensation. When harassment fuels stress, anxiety, depression, or related conditions, employees may require medical care, therapy, or time away from work. In certain jurisdictions, those injuries can be compensable.

Workplace abuse can lead to physical injury too—panic attacks, exacerbation of preexisting conditions, or even incidents that occur during confrontations. That is why employers should treat harassment as a risk-management problem, not merely a compliance checkbox.

Psychological Injury and Stress Claims

Some states recognize mental-mental or mental-physical claims under workers’ compensation. If harassment triggers PTSD, panic disorder, or other diagnosed conditions, there may be a pathway to benefits depending on state law and available medical evidence. Our overview on how a workers’ compensation lawyer can help explains the kinds of records and timelines that often matter.

Claims that intersect with both discrimination law and workers’ comp can involve complex strategy: preserving harassment evidence for an EEOC case while also documenting medical treatment, job modifications, or leaves of absence for comp. If a data or process error is stalling benefits, see our workers’ comp trends piece on how “undefined” data derails claims and our practical guide to fixing workers’ comp claims problems.

Reporting, Retaliation, and Safety Risks

Retaliation remains a leading claim in discrimination cases. When employees report harassment or unsafe conditions and face punishment, that not only adds legal exposure but can mask ongoing hazards. A 2016 review of FY 2015 litigation statistics observed that retaliation claims led the pack, reinforcing the importance of guarding against backlash when someone speaks up.

Safe reporting channels and consistent follow-up are therefore crucial. If you encounter harassment, our step-by-step guide on how to report a hostile work environment shows how to document incidents and protect your position while your employer investigates.

Legal Framework and EEOC Process

Most harassment claims fall under Title VII (sex, race, national origin, religion) or the ADA (disability). The ADEA protects against age-based harassment for workers 40 and over. State and city laws often add or expand protections and extend deadlines.

Before you can file a harassment lawsuit under federal law, you typically must file an administrative charge. The EEOC (or a state/city fair employment agency) will investigate and may offer mediation. If the case does not resolve, the agency issues a Notice of Right to Sue so you can take your claim to court.

Filing a Charge and Deadlines

Most federal discrimination charges must be filed within 180 days of the unlawful conduct, extended to 300 days if a state or local fair employment agency enforces a similar law. Learn the practical steps and timelines in our plain-English guide to filing a complaint with the EEOC.

The EEOC also emphasized harassment prevention and early intervention in 2015 and beyond, including education and targeted enforcement. Employers were on notice that the agency would prioritize harassment curbing and accountability across industries.

Evidence and Employer Liability

To prove harassment, employees should keep contemporaneous notes, save texts or emails, and identify witnesses. Photographs, chat logs, and calendar entries can corroborate your account. If you experience sexualized conduct, see our step-by-step walkthrough on how to sue for sexual harassment to understand proof, damages, and the litigation timeline.

Employers are strictly liable if a supervisor’s harassment ends in a tangible employment action (like firing or demotion). Otherwise, employers may assert they exercised reasonable care to prevent and correct harassment, and that the employee unreasonably failed to use preventive or corrective opportunities. Knowing these rules helps you present the right evidence from the start. Our resource on workplace harassment legal options explains the standards in plain terms.

Prevention and Response Best Practices

The 2015 data and the task force findings point to practical steps that reduce both legal risk and human harm. The strongest programs combine credible policies, real training, accessible reporting channels, and early, fair investigations.

For Employees Facing Harassment

• Document each incident immediately. Include date, time, location, exact words/actions, and who saw it.

• Use your employer’s reporting channels and keep copies of your complaint and follow-up communications.

• Preserve physical and digital evidence (messages, emails, social posts, notes, photos).

• Seek medical or mental-health care promptly if you are experiencing symptoms.

• File an EEOC or state agency charge within the deadline if the issue is not resolved.

If the conduct is sexualized or sexually hostile, you may find our focused guide on workplace sexual harassment helpful for examples, rights, and next steps.

For Employers Building Safer Workplaces

• Assess culture and risk areas; align training to realistic scenarios your workforce encounters.

• Offer multiple reporting channels (including external or anonymous options) and communicate anti-retaliation protections.

• Investigate promptly and impartially; document findings and corrective actions.

• Address root causes—workload, supervision, power dynamics, and policy gaps—not just isolated incidents.

• Track data trends (by location, department, and role) to spot and fix recurring issues early.

These steps reflect the EEOC’s focus on practical solutions—not just written policies—to curb harassment and reduce harm.

Data Caveats and Methodology Notes

Understanding 2015’s numbers requires attention to how charges are built and counted. The EEOC’s system allows multiple legal theories within one charge, and the agency reports data in several ways—by count of charges, by count of allegations, and by percentages of total charges including certain claims.

Multi-Basis Allegations and Rounding

A single charge can allege harassment on multiple bases (e.g., sex and race). That is why the percentage shares for each basis among “harassment charges” can sum to more than 100%. When we say about 45% of harassment charges were sex-based, we mean that nearly half included a sex-based harassment allegation (even if they also included other bases).

Additionally, public summaries often round figures for accessibility. The “approximately 28,000” harassment charges and “about 45%” sex-based figure are rounded to keep the numbers easy to read.

Where to Find Official Statistics

To explore deeper data, the EEOC maintains its Enforcement and Litigation Statistics hub with tables on charge receipts, harassment allegations (including non-sexual categories), litigation outcomes, and more. It also publishes annual performance reports detailing charge volumes and resolutions, and periodic infographics showing trends in sexual harassment filings.

If you want to compare harassment shares year over year or review sexual harassment trends after 2015, consult the agency’s data dashboards and summaries. They shed light on how awareness, reporting, and enforcement have shifted.

Conclusion

In FY 2015, roughly 28,000 EEOC charges included harassment allegations, and about 45% of those alleged harassment on the basis of sex. Harassment comprised nearly a third of all charges that year, reminding us that abusive conduct is both a civil-rights issue and a workplace safety concern with real human and economic costs. Whether you are an employee or an employer, understanding these numbers—and the law behind them—helps you act quickly, preserve evidence, prevent retaliation, and steer toward lasting solutions.

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FAQ

What share of 2015 harassment charges were sex-based?

About 45% of the approximately 28,000 EEOC charges that included harassment allegations in FY 2015 were on the basis of sex. This figure comes from the agency’s task force review of harassment data around that period and reflects overlapping allegations (one charge can allege multiple bases).

Is sex-based harassment the same as sexual harassment?

Not exactly. Sexual harassment is part of sex-based harassment but focuses on sexual conduct (unwelcome advances, requests for favors, or sexualized comments). Sex-based harassment also covers hostile conduct because of sex, gender, pregnancy, or gender identity even when there is no sexual content. For practical definitions and examples, see our guide on workplace sexual harassment.

How do I file an EEOC charge if I faced harassment?

You generally must file an administrative charge before suing under federal law. Most deadlines are 180 days (or 300 days where a state or local agency enforces a similar law). Learn the steps, timelines, and how to preserve evidence in our guide to filing a complaint with the EEOC, and see how to document and escalate a hostile work environment.

Can harassment lead to a workers’ compensation claim?

In some states, yes—if harassment contributes to a compensable psychological or physical injury. The details depend on state law, medical proof, and timing. For practical insights into protecting benefits, review our resources on workers’ compensation help and common pitfalls in workers’ comp claims.

What trend did the EEOC emphasize after 2015?

The EEOC underscored that harassment was alleged in about one-third of charges and elevated prevention and enforcement across sectors. The agency also reported that sexual harassment claims increased as a share of total charge receipts from FY 2015 through FY 2019, reflecting growing awareness and reporting. For more on the process and your options, see our overview of harassment legal options and our practical guide on how to sue for sexual harassment.

Sources cited and referenced in context: The EEOC’s FY 2015 performance report confirmed 89,385 total charges and 92,641 resolutions; employment law updates noted harassment in roughly 30% of charges; the Select Task Force explained that nearly one-third of 2015 charges alleged harassment; legal analyses documented approximately 28,000 harassment charges that year; the agency’s harassment data pages and sexual harassment infographic summarized how sexual harassment shares increased thereafter; and litigation summaries observed retaliation claims leading the pack in 2015.