You Have a Right to Sue Letter. Here's What Changed.
The EEOC has closed its file. The letter is permission to sue — not a ruling — and from here nothing moves unless you move it.
Where you are
The EEOC has closed its file. Whatever it was doing on your charge — investigating, attempting a settlement with your employer, or simply processing a request you made — has ended.
What the letter is
The EEOC describes a Notice of Right to Sue as a document giving you permission to file a discrimination lawsuit in federal or state court. That's its entire function. It's the key that unlocks the courthouse door.
What it isn't
It isn't a ruling. The same document goes out whether the EEOC found reasonable cause, found no reasonable cause, tried to settle and couldn't, or never finished looking because you asked for the letter early. Nothing on the face of it tells you which happened, and nothing about receiving one indicates whether a case is strong or weak.
What changed about your role
During the charge, the EEOC was doing the work — contacting your employer, gathering information, making its own assessment. That's over. From here, nothing moves unless you move it. No agency is investigating in the background, and no one will remind you of what comes next.
What starts now
A 90-day period to file a lawsuit. It's the shortest and least forgiving deadline in the entire process. The practical first step is putting the letter somewhere you won't lose it, along with proof of when it arrived — the envelope, the email, the portal download. That date is what everything else is measured from.
Sources
EEOC, "Filing a Lawsuit"; EEOC, "What You Can Expect After a Charge Is Filed."
Red flags to watch for
- You can't find the envelope, email or portal record showing when the letter arrived
- You're reading the letter as a finding for or against you — it is neither
- Weeks have passed since it arrived and nothing has been filed
Next up
Finding Your Deadline
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Start AI screeningSources: EEOC.gov, EEOC Field Manual, and federal employment statutes. Informational only — not legal advice.