Workplace harassment filing deadlines, state by state.
How long you have to act depends on where you work and what happened. California gives workers 3 years; Texas can give as little as 180 days. Every deadline below is sourced to the statute or agency that controls it.
Workplace harassment filing deadlines by state · last reviewed 2026-06-10
- State agency
- CRD
- General harassment
- 3 years — from the unlawful practice (Gov. Code §12960)
- Sexual harassment
- Same — 3 years
- Federal EEOC
- 300 days
- Lawsuit window
- 1 year after CRD right-to-sue notice
- Damage caps
- NO caps (uncapped compensatory + punitive)
- State agency
- TWC CRD
- General harassment
- 180 days — general claims (Sec. 21.202(a)) — untimely complaints SHALL be dismissed
- Sexual harassment
- 300 days (Sec. 21.202(a-1))
- Federal EEOC
- 300 days
- Lawsuit window
- 60 days after right-to-sue; never later than 2 years after complaint
- Damage caps
- $50K–$300K combined comp+punitive, by employer size
- State agency
- WSHRC
- General harassment
- 6 months — (12 months pregnancy-related; 2 years whistleblower)
- Sexual harassment
- Same — 6 months agency / 3 years direct suit
- Federal EEOC
- 300 days
- Lawsuit window
- 3 years DIRECT suit — no agency filing required
- Damage caps
- NO caps (uncapped actual damages + fees)
- State agency
- NERC
- General harassment
- 300 days — (NRS 233.160(1)(b)) — online filing only
- Sexual harassment
- Same — 300 days
- Federal EEOC
- 300 days
- Lawsuit window
- 90 days after right-to-sue notice
- Damage caps
- Federal Title VII caps apply ($50K–$300K by size)
| State | State agency | General harassment | Sexual harassment | Federal EEOC | Lawsuit window | Damage caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | CRD | 3 years from the unlawful practice (Gov. Code §12960) | Same — 3 years | 300 days | 1 year after CRD right-to-sue notice | NO caps (uncapped compensatory + punitive) |
| Texas | TWC CRD | 180 days general claims (Sec. 21.202(a)) — untimely complaints SHALL be dismissed | 300 days (Sec. 21.202(a-1)) | 300 days | 60 days after right-to-sue; never later than 2 years after complaint | $50K–$300K combined comp+punitive, by employer size |
| Washington | WSHRC | 6 months (12 months pregnancy-related; 2 years whistleblower) | Same — 6 months agency / 3 years direct suit | 300 days | 3 years DIRECT suit — no agency filing required | NO caps (uncapped actual damages + fees) |
| Nevada | NERC | 300 days (NRS 233.160(1)(b)) — online filing only | Same — 300 days | 300 days | 90 days after right-to-sue notice | Federal Title VII caps apply ($50K–$300K by size) |
Special clock — federal employees
Civilian federal (including DoD) employees everywhere have just 45 days to contact their agency's EEO counselor — a completely separate track from everything above.
Sources: Cal. Gov. Code §12960 · Tex. Lab. Code ch. 21 · RCW 49.60.230 · NRS 233.160 · EEOC time limits. Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by Ackermann & Tilajef, P.C.
Deadline questions, answered
What is the shortest workplace harassment filing deadline?
Among CA, TX, WA, and NV: Texas's 180-day window for general (non-sexual) harassment claims is the shortest agency deadline, and federal civilian employees everywhere have just 45 days to contact an agency EEO counselor. Washington's 6-month state agency window is also short — but Washington also allows a direct lawsuit within 3 years instead.
Which state has the longest time to file a harassment claim?
California — 3 years to file with the Civil Rights Department, among the longer state-agency windows in the country. Washington's 3-year direct-lawsuit window is comparable but skips the agency entirely.
Is the EEOC deadline the same in every state?
Nearly: 300 days in states with their own fair-employment agency (deferral states — California, Texas, Washington, and Nevada all qualify); 180 days in states without one. For harassment, the clock generally runs from the most recent incident.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
Agency deadlines are usually fatal to that route — Texas law says untimely complaints SHALL be dismissed. But missing one clock doesn't always end the case: Washington allows direct suits for 3 years, California's right-to-sue path may still be open, and tolling rules sometimes extend windows. A lawyer can audit which clocks are still running.
Not sure which clock is yours?
Deadlines interact — agency windows, suit windows, tolling rules. A 15-minute call sorts out which apply to you.
Call (310) 277-0614