This is a working reference for the decoder, the state pages, and the learn pillars. Each entry links to the underlying statute or regulation. Use it as you read; it's not meant to be read end-to-end.
ADA
AKA: Americans with Disabilities Act
Federal anti-discrimination statute covering disability claims. Incorporates Title VII's procedures by reference (15+ employees, 180/300-day EEOC charge, 90-day right-to-sue) per 42 U.S.C. § 12117(a).
ADEA
AKA: Age Discrimination in Employment Act
Federal age-discrimination statute (age 40+). 180/300-day filing structure with a key qualifier: the 300-day extension requires a state-level age law and state agency — local ordinances are insufficient. 20+ employees per 29 U.S.C. § 626(d)(1).
Continuing-violation doctrine
Per Nat'l R.R. Passenger Corp. v. Morgan, 536 U.S. 101 (2002), discrete acts (termination, denial of promotion) each carry their own 180/300-day clock; hostile-environment claims are timely if any contributing act is within the window. Nat'l R.R. Passenger Corp. v. Morgan, 536 U.S. 101 (2002)
Discrete act
A single, identifiable personnel decision under Morgan: termination, denial of promotion, denial of transfer, refusal to hire, demotion, a written disciplinary warning. Each discrete act starts its own 180/300-day clock.
Dual filing
Filing the same charge with both the EEOC and a state Fair Employment Practices Agency. Worksharing agreements under 29 CFR § 1601.13 typically route one filing to both agencies simultaneously.
EEOC
AKA: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Federal agency that enforces Title VII, ADA, ADEA, GINA, and EPA. Receives charges through the Public Portal at publicportal.eeoc.gov or paper Form 5. Not affiliated with this site — EEOCdeadline is editorial only.
EPA
AKA: Equal Pay Act · 29 U.S.C. §206(d)
Federal sex-based pay-equality statute. Does not require an EEOC charge — file directly in federal court within 2 years of each underpaid paycheck (3 years if willful) per 29 U.S.C. § 206(d).
FEHA
AKA: Fair Employment and Housing Act
California's state-level anti-discrimination statute. Covers more protected bases than Title VII; 3-year SOL since AB 9 (2020) at Cal. Gov. Code §12960(e). Enforced by the California Civil Rights Department.
FEPA
AKA: Fair Employment Practices Agency
A state or local agency designated by the EEOC under 29 CFR § 1601.74 to enforce a same-basis state anti-discrimination law. The presence of a qualifying FEPA is what triggers the 300-day federal extension. AL, AR, and MS have none; GA's FEPA covers state employees only; NC's NCEEPA provides no private right of action.
Federal-employee EEO path
Per 29 CFR § 1614.105, federal civilian employees and applicants must initiate contact with the agency EEO counselor within 45 days of the discriminatory act — NOT the 180/300-day EEOC charge process.
GINA
AKA: Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
Federal statute prohibiting genetic-information discrimination in employment. Incorporates Title VII's procedures (15+ employees, 180/300-day, 90-day suit) per 42 U.S.C. § 2000ff-6.
Hostile work environment
A pattern of harassing or discriminatory conduct that creates an abusive working environment. Under Morgan, a hostile-environment claim is timely so long as any contributing act falls within the filing window — even if the bulk of conduct occurred before it.
Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
Pub. L. 111-2 (2009). Each issuance of a discriminatory paycheck is a fresh unlawful employment practice — the clock resets every payday for compensation discrimination claims under Title VII, ADEA, ADA, and the Rehabilitation Act. Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, Pub. L. 111-2, 123 Stat. 5
MSPB
AKA: Merit Systems Protection Board
Federal agency that hears appeals of major adverse personnel actions (termination, suspension over 14 days, reduction in grade or pay) for federal civilian employees. In a "mixed case" — discrimination + adverse action — the employee can elect either the agency EEO process or the MSPB appeal path.
NCEEPA
AKA: North Carolina Equal Employment Practices Act
North Carolina state statute declaring policy against employment discrimination. Provides no private right of action for non-age bases — so private-sector NC claimants default to the 180-day federal window for Title VII / ADA / GINA.
Notice of Right to Sue
EEOC-issued notice that triggers a 90-day window to file a federal lawsuit on the underlying Title VII, ADA, or GINA claim. After 180 days from filing, a charging party can request the notice without waiting for the investigation to finish.
OFCCP
AKA: Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
U.S. Department of Labor sub-agency enforcing Executive Order 11246 and other employment-discrimination rules on federal contractors. Federal-contractor claimants may have a parallel OFCCP complaint path alongside the EEOC charge process.
Right to sue letter
See "Notice of Right to Sue."
§1981
AKA: 42 U.S.C. §1981
Independent Civil Rights Act provision covering race claims in contracts, including employment. No EEOC charge required; 4-year SOL per Jones v. R.R. Donnelley, 541 U.S. 369 (2004). Does not cover sex, age, disability, religion, national origin, or genetic information.
Title VII
AKA: Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII
The federal anti-discrimination statute for race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. 180/300-day filing window per 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(e)(1). 15+ employees.
Tolling
Doctrines that pause the running of a filing window — military service, mental incapacity, fraudulent concealment of the discriminatory act, misleading conduct by the employer or agency. Fact-specific; benefits from attorney guidance before the deadline closes, not after.
Verified charge
A signed, sworn-to charge form filed with the EEOC. The verification (signature under oath) is what makes the filing operative for the 180/300-day window — an unsigned inquiry does not start the federal investigation.
Worksharing agreement
A bilateral agreement between the EEOC and a state Fair Employment Practices Agency under 29 CFR § 1601.13 that waives the 60-day exclusive state processing period and routes filings between agencies. In practice, filing with one is filing with both.
706 agency
A state or local agency designated by the EEOC under Title VII §706 / 29 CFR §1601.74 to handle discrimination charges on the same protected bases as the federal statute. The canonical list of 706 agencies is in 29 CFR § 1601.74.
About the terminology choices
We use the language the statutes use, not the language a personal-injury firm would use. "Filing window" rather than "deadline crisis"; "discriminatory act" rather than "wrong"; "indeterminate" rather than "you may have a case." The register is editorial, not advocacy. If a term you're looking for is missing, the most likely place to find it is the primary-source page for the relevant statute on law.cornell.edu.