If you’ve been listening to the news the last few days you probably think we’re all a bunch of raving mad intolerant lunatics who hate each other and are hell bent on shooting each other through the eyes, literally and metaphorically. And a report just released by the federal government regarding discrimination at work only seems to back up this perception.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported yesterday that discrimination claims in the United States hit record levels in fiscal year 2010, nearing 100,000 charges filed by employees, and the big gains came in religious and race bias, ageism and among disabled workers.

“Discrimination continues to be a substantial problem for too many job seekers and workers, and we must continue to build our capacity to enforce the laws that ensure that workplaces are free of unlawful bias,” said EEOC Chair Jacqueline Berrien.

Indeed, the numbers are disturbing but are we a more bigoted society today, and thus a more bigoted workplace? The answer may be surprising. (more…)