According to statistics compiled by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, there were 707 charges filed with the EEOC, within the state of Kansas, in the year 2015.  Within the state of Missouri (in the same year) 1,868 charges were filed.  Why were these numbers so different?

As of 2015, the population of the entire state of Kansas was estimated to be 2,911,641 people.  Missouri’s population, as of the same year, was estimated to be 6,083,672 people.  Basic math informs us that Missouri’s population is 2.09 times greater than Kansas’ population; however, the EEOC received 2.642 times more charges within the state of Missouri than the state of Kansas.  Was 2015 an outlier, or do prior years prove this per capita charge gap?

The EEOC recorded 681 charge receipts within the state of Kansas in 2014.  Within the state of Missouri, it recorded 1,808.  The EEOC received, therefore, 2.655 times more charges filed within the state of Missouri than the state of Kansas.  Is this nearly identical multiplier a coincidence?  Let’s look at another year.

In 2011, the EEOC recorded 2,310 charge receipts within Missouri; within Kansas, it recorded 873.  Almost exactly in the middle of the two previously calculated multipliers, the 2011 multiplier was 2.646!

Despite convincing (and interesting, I must say) statistics above, the EEOC does not always record 2.65 times more charge receipts within the state of Missouri than the state of Kansas.  What is evident by the available data, though, is that there are consistently more EEOC claims filed within the state of Missouri than the state of Kansas, even after taking population differences into account.

Can anything be deduced from this data?  Some may say that employees are treated more poorly within the state of Missouri.  Others may say that companies are legally safer within the state of Kansas.  Unfortunately, there is not enough information available to determine the cause of this above-described, statistically consistent phenomenon.

What we do know is that discrimination—be it in the form of race, sex, national origin, religion, color, retaliation, age, or disability—is a serious matter.  If you need assistance determining whether you have suffered from workplace discrimination, or if you need assistance determining how to handle a workplace discrimination complaint or lawsuit brought against you, please contact me immediately.  If I cannot help you, I will do my best to connect you with somebody who can.

Matthew T. Kincaid