EEOC laws have been amended through the years. There are also laws that fall under the jurisdiction of the EEOC such as the age discrimination act which in many ways contradicts the policy of the EEOC. For instance, when filing a complaint with the EEOC, you must follow their administrative procedure before (or if) your case makes it to court. In the ADEA, it clearly states; "The ADEA prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of age (40 years or older). Unlike Title VII and the Rehabilitation Act, the ADEA allows persons claiming age discrimination to go directly to court without going through an agency's administrative complaint procedures. If, however, a complainant chooses to file an administrative complaint, (s)he must exhaust administrative remedies before proceeding to court. As with Title VII complaints, a complainant exhausts administrative remedies 180 days after filing a formal complaint or 180 days after filing an appeal with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) if the EEOC has not issued a decision. Needless to say, for a lay person trying to decipher all of the legal jargon is difficult to say the least. There is a method to the madness, but unless you are an attorney, it probably won't make much sense. There are several laws all dealing with discrimination. In addition, there have been amendments as well as new laws enacted that were meant to clarify some of the old laws. What is important to know is that anyone can file a claim and that everyone has the right to seek the aid of an attorney.