Mobile, AL (December 6, 2006) -- In the wake of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) opening a local office in Mobile, there will likely be an increase in the number of charges of discrimination and employment-related lawsuits filed against employers in the Mobile area, according to attorneys with Littler Mendelson, P.C.

The EEOC enforces federal laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, sex, national origin, age, disability, and religion.

"With the new EEOC office in Mobile, it is easier for area employees to go in person and talk with EEOC representatives about filing a charge. Previously, employees had to go all the way to Birmingham to do so," states Brad Adams, an attorney with Littler's Mobile office. "The presence of a local EEOC office will almost certainly result in more charges being filed against local businesses," Adams adds. No appointment is needed to file a charge in person with the EEOC. Individuals seeking to file charges of discrimination are initially screened by EEOC representatives to determine whether their employment issues may be covered by the laws that the EEOC enforces. In the State of Alabama, an individual has 180 days from the date of alleged harm to file a charge with the EEOC against an employer. In 2005, 75,428 charges were filed with the EEOC nationwide.

"In other parts of the country, attorneys with our firm have observed the EEOC's new offices conduct prompt, aggressive investigations into local charges of discrimination," commented Adams.

The EEOC has steadily opened new offices across the country in recent years, now having 53 total. The number of lawsuits filed by the EEOC has steadily increased, as well, from 328 in 2000 to 417 in 2005. For more information on the EEOC, visit www.eeoc.gov.

About Littler Mendelson

With over 500 attorneys in major metropolitan areas nationwide, Littler Mendelson is the largest law firm in the United States devoted exclusively to representing management in employment, employee benefits and labor matters. The firm's client base ranges from Fortune 500 companies to small-business owners. Established in 1942, the firm has litigated and negotiated some of the most influential cases and labor contracts in the nation's history. Littler's Mobile office is located downtown in the Riverview Plaza, 63 South Royal Street, Suite 709. For more information, visit www.littler.com.