What are the Time Limits for Filing a Charge of Discrimination?
All laws enforced by EEOC, except the Equal Pay Act, require filing a charge with EEOC before a private lawsuit may be filed in court. There are strict time limits within which charges must be filed: a charge must be filed with EEOC within 180 days from the date of the alleged violation, in order to protect the charging party's rights. However, this 180-day filing deadline is extended to 300 days if the charge also is covered by a state or local anti-discrimination law. Illinois has such anti-discrimination laws, therefore, for an employee working in Illinois, that employee has 300 days to file a charge. Because it can take time to set up an appointment to file a charge, it is not usually a good idea to wait to the last minute to try to file a charge.