According to the 1980 GAO study on EEO complaints, what is the average cost of an EEO complaint?

According to the 1980 GAO study on EEO complaints, what is the average cost of an EEO complaint?

• A. 5,000-10,000
• B. 10,000-20,000
• C. 20,000-40,000
• D. 100,000

Answer: (C)

The idea here is understanding the typical financial burden of processing an EEO complaint in federal agencies. When a complaint is filed, costs accumulate across several stages: intake and counseling, investigation, possible hearings, and management time, plus any legal fees or outside counsel and the overhead of running the process. The GAO in 1980 looked at these total resources spent per case and found that, on average, an EEO complaint cost agencies a substantial amount, landing in a middle range rather than at the extremes. Specifically, the average falls between 20,000 and 40,000 dollars in 1980 dollars. Individual cases can be cheaper or much more expensive depending on complexity and whether settlements or litigation occur, but the typical case aligns with that mid-range. That’s why the 20,000-40,000 range best matches the observed average.

The idea here is understanding the typical financial burden of processing an EEO complaint in federal agencies. When a complaint is filed, costs accumulate across several stages: intake and counseling, investigation, possible hearings, and management time, plus any legal fees or outside counsel and the overhead of running the process. The GAO in 1980 looked at these total resources spent per case and found that, on average, an EEO complaint cost agencies a substantial amount, landing in a middle range rather than at the extremes. Specifically, the average falls between 20,000 and 40,000 dollars in 1980 dollars. Individual cases can be cheaper or much more expensive depending on complexity and whether settlements or litigation occur, but the typical case aligns with that mid-range. That’s why the 20,000-40,000 range best matches the observed average.