EXAMPLE 1: " Respondent ABC Employer refused to hire me based on my race. My race is African American."A charge of discrimination can be completed through our online system after you submit an online inquiry and we interview you. The incident complained of must have occurred in the City of Chicago. •. The injury or harm must concern one of: • Employment • Housing. But all too often, many people in Illinois are discriminated against at work because of their sex, gender identity, age, race, and more. This fact sheet provides information on filing an employment discrimination charge with the EEOC. Download the PDF version of this fact sheet. Employment discrimination occurs when an employer makes an adverse employment decision based on an employee's protected class. If you have experienced discrimination in the workplace, contact our experienced Chicago employment law attorney for an initial consultation.