If I had filed my Compliant with OSHA before getting “layed off”, they would have taken it seriously, as it was, they had no “Duty to investigate” the charges.
EEOC is the same way, if the conditions are that bad, you don't wait until after you leave.
You’re right, and it’s a huge flaw in the system. Filing formal complaints with agencies often involves having an attorney, and the expense is not trivial, but sometimes bringing it to this level is the only thing that will work.