Claims of job discrimination have risen over 20 percent since 2007 to a record 99,922 last year, an increase observers attribute to the continually lagging economy.

Compensation collected by discrimination victims through settlements and lawsuits has risen as well, to $404 million, a 17 percent increase since 2007.

"I think this has to do with the economy," says attorney Steve Simas of Sacramento law firm Simas and Associates. "Employees are more motivated to bring complaints because they're unhappy."

While more claims have been filed, a smaller percentage have been successful. In 2010, 19.2 percent of complaints were resolved with outcomes favorable to complainants, a figure that has dropped each year since a high of 22.2 percent in 2007. However, the total number of merit resolutions has risen over that period, from 16,598 in 2007 to 20,149 in 2010.

Discrimination on the job refers to employees experiencing prejudicial treatment based on their age, race, sex, religion, disability or various other categories protected by federal, state or local statute. Statistics cited here refer to charges made to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and do not include other complaints made to state or local anti-discrimination bodies.

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