Guide to Preventing Retaliation on Campus

Retaliation is the most frequently alleged basis of workplace discrimination. It comprises more than half the discrimination charges filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and has been the top discrimination charge filed every year since 2009.

It is also one of United Educators’ (UE’s) most common employment claims.

• Laws that prohibit retaliation include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and Whistleblower Protection Program statutes.
• Retaliation exists if an employee engaged in a protected activity and that because of the activity the employer took a materially adverse action against the employee.
• While many institutional leaders assume only employees may be the subject of retaliation, laws often also protect job applicants.