Many people wonder, "What is the EEOC?" The EEOC is the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The commission is a federal agency whose main focus is to ensure equal employment opportunity for all citizens, regardless of race, age, disability and other factors. The commission hears cases where charges of employment discrimination have occurred. They are also responsible for filing lawsuits on behalf of alleged victims of employment discrimination. The EEOC operates under specific legislation ﾖ the first of which was Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which was specifically related to discrimination based on race. The commission also operates under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. Each year, the EEOC investigates nearly 100,000 complaints of acts of discrimination. They are also tasked with investigating complaints of employers retaliating against employees who contact the EEOC. This helps keep the reporting process fair and ensuring that employees do not feel threatened against using the commission for its intended purpose.