In the past, employees who alleged themselves to be victims of employment discrimination were forced to follow an official complaint procedure, which was expensive and resulted in claims that lasted for years.  After careful consideration of the impact this was having on employees within the state, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) has now made mediation an option, a solution which could result in closed disputes in 10 days or less. 

In 2012, the program staff saw more than 3,500 employment discrimination complaints.  More often than not, these complaints related to individuals who alleged mistreatment as a result of their age, race or sex.  Once these complaints were filed, a backlog was generated as the PHRC attempted to investigate the claims and allow them to come forward through the legal system.  Costly hearings, delayed court filings and significantly long investigations were just some of the negative aspects of the current system. 

Mediation allows the cases to get solutions much more quickly and removes the high-stakes nature of tradition courtroom engagements.  The program is funded by a $66,000 grant from the governor's Innovation Office.  Employees will be eligible to sit down with their employer and a neutral mediator to discuss the details of the case.  This program is available free of cost to the employee and employees are not required to hire an attorney to move forward.