©2026 Seyfarth Shaw LLP EEOC-INITIATED LITIGATION: 2026 EDITION | 64 The state-by-state breakdown of FY 2025 EEOC merit lawsuit filings reveals notable geographic patterns that go beyond population size. Georgia leads the nation with 7 filings, followed closely by Louisiana, Florida, Illinois, and Michigan, each with 6 filings. Texas and North Carolina round out the next tier with 5 filings apiece, while traditionally high-population states like New York and California posted only 4 and 3 filings, respectively. Perhaps most striking is the strong showing from states with smaller populations. Mississippi (4 filings) and Alabama (3 filings) outpaced or matched larger states such as California, New York, and Pennsylvania. Along these lines, California—which is the most populated U.S. state with approximately 39.5 million residents—accounted for 5% of all EEOC charges filed in FY 2024 (the most recent period for which this data is available), whereas Texas—home to approximately 31.3 million residents—accounted for 10% of all charges filed. Despite these high charge volumes, both states saw relatively few merit lawsuits in the last fiscal year. Indeed, Texas saw just five merit lawsuits in FY 2025, and California saw only three. Other highly-populated states that similarly did not see a high number of merit lawsuits in FY 2025 include Arizona, Massachusetts, and Washington, which all saw just one filing. Despite being home to the notoriously active Philadelphia District Office, Pennsylvania also recorded just one merit lawsuit in FY 2025. Top 10 States in EEOC Filings Received FY 2024 FILINGS RECEIVED BY STATE ■ Georgia: 7 ■ Florida: 6 ■ Illinois: 6 ■ Louisiana: 6 ■ Michigan: 6 ■ North Carolina: 5 ■ Texas: 5 ■ Mississippi: 4 ■ New York: 4 ■ Alabama: 3 WA AK HI MT WY CO UT AZ NM TX LA AR MS AL TN FL GA NE KS OK MO IL WI MI OH IN KY VA WV PA NY VT NH CT ME MA MN IA SD ND SC NC ID NV CA OR DC MD DE NJ RI ©2026 Seyfarth Shaw LLP
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