South Carolina Employment Discrimination Settlement Calculator
Estimate what a South Carolina workplace-discrimination claim might be worth. South Carolina's own anti-discrimination law provides little or no compensatory/punitive money damages, so the FEDERAL Title VII cap ($50k–$300k by employer size) controls your emotional-distress + punitive recovery. Back pay and front pay remain uncapped. This is an estimate of the legal ceiling and a realistic settlement range — not a prediction or an offer.
An estimate of the legal ceiling — not a prediction or an offer.
This estimates the maximum damages a South Carolina employment-discrimination claim could reach and a realistic settlement range. Most charges settle for far less. It is not legal advice, and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
Realistic settlement range
$17,250 – $53,500
South Carolina · most cases settle below the legal maximum
Back + front pay
$30,000
never capped
Comp/punitive cap
$50,000
federal cap
Statutory maximum (ceiling)
$55,000 – $80,000
economic (uncapped) + capped emotional-distress/punitive
The cap reduced emotional-distress + punitive from $100,000 to $50,000.
This is a statutory-ceiling estimate, not a prediction. The vast majority of discrimination charges settle for far less than the legal maximum — EEOC-mediated resolutions commonly land in the low five figures, and fewer than ~5% of charges ever reach a jury. Strength of evidence, your duty to look for new work (which offsets back pay), and attorney fees all move the real number.
You generally must first file a charge with the EEOC or your state agency BEFORE you can sue — and the deadline is short. Missing it can end the claim entirely.
Discrimination damages have four parts: back pay and front pay (lost past and future wages — never capped), compensatory damages for emotional distress, and punitive damages for egregious conduct. Federal law caps the last two together at $50k–$300k by employer size; South Carolina follows its own rule. You generally pursue the higher of the two. This is an estimate of the legal ceiling and a realistic settlement range, not legal advice, a prediction, or an offer. RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm.
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South Carolina's Discrimination Damage Cap
South Carolina's own anti-discrimination law provides little or no compensatory/punitive money damages, so the FEDERAL Title VII cap ($50k–$300k by employer size) controls your emotional-distress + punitive recovery. Back pay and front pay remain uncapped.
South Carolina's own law provides little or no compensatory or punitive money damages, so the federal Title VII cap controls that part of your recovery. South Carolina's Human Affairs Law covers employers with 15+ employees but its STATE-law remedies are administrative/equitable only: cease-and-desist, hiring, reinstatement, upgrading, and back pay (limited to two years before the charge). It provides NO compensatory or punitive damages under state law, so SC plaintiffs who want emotional-distress or punitive recovery must sue under federal Title VII/ADA (federal $50k-$300k cap). The earlier 'mirrors-federal $300k' entry was incorrect.
Remember that back pay and front pay are never capped in any state — the cap applies only to compensatory (emotional-distress) and punitive damages. Under South Carolina Human Affairs Law, S.C. Code Ann. §§ 1-13-10 et seq., South Carolina law reaches employers with 15+ employees. Punitive damages are available for egregious, willful discrimination.
How to File a Discrimination Charge in South Carolina
Before you can sue, you generally must file a charge with the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission (SCHAC) or the federal EEOC. A charge must be filed with the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission within 180 days of the discriminatory act (extended to 300 days where the charge is dual-filed with the EEOC). The agency may investigate, offer mediation, or issue a right-to-sue notice. Filing on time is critical — missing the deadline usually ends the claim no matter how strong it is.
How the Estimate Works
No tool can predict a discrimination settlement. This estimator adds your back pay and front pay (lost wages, which are never capped), estimates emotional-distress damages from how serious the harm was, adds a punitive estimate if the conduct was egregious, then applies the binding cap — whichever is higher between South Carolina's rule and the federal employer-size cap. Finally it shows a realistic settlement range, because the large majority of charges resolve well below the legal maximum. Use the personal injury settlement calculator for injury claims, or read your South Carolina at-will employment guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does South Carolina cap discrimination damages?
South Carolina's own anti-discrimination law provides little or no compensatory/punitive money damages, so the FEDERAL Title VII cap ($50k–$300k by employer size) controls your emotional-distress + punitive recovery. Back pay and front pay remain uncapped.
How much is a South Carolina discrimination case worth?
No one can promise a number. A rough estimate adds your back pay and front pay (never capped), an emotional-distress figure, and — for egregious conduct — punitive damages, then applies the higher of South Carolina's cap or the federal employer-size cap. In practice most charges settle in the low five figures through the EEOC or South Carolina Human Affairs Commission (SCHAC); only a small fraction reach a jury. An employment attorney is the only way to value your specific case.
What is the federal cap and how does it compare to South Carolina?
Federal law caps compensatory plus punitive damages together by employer size: $50,000 (15–100 employees) up to $300,000 (500+). South Carolina's own law provides little or no compensatory or punitive money damages, so the federal Title VII cap controls that part of your recovery. You generally pursue whichever path pays more.
How long do I have to file in South Carolina?
A charge must be filed with the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission within 180 days of the discriminatory act (extended to 300 days where the charge is dual-filed with the EEOC).
Are back pay and front pay capped?
No. In every state, back pay and front pay are economic damages and are recovered in full — the caps apply only to compensatory (emotional-distress) and punitive damages. That is why the cap is not the whole story.
Is this calculator legal advice?
No. It is a free, rough estimate of the legal ceiling and a realistic range — not a prediction, an offer, or legal advice, and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm. Consult a South Carolina employment attorney about your case.
Disclaimer
This estimator is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a prediction of any outcome. RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm. Anti-discrimination law, including damage caps and employer-size thresholds, changes with legislation and court rulings; figures are current as of 2026-06-06. The value of a discrimination claim can only be assessed by a licensed attorney reviewing your specific facts.