Frequently Asked Questions

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About External Discrimination Complaints

CRC's Authority

1: What is the mission of the Civil Rights Center (CRC) for customers outside of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)?

CRC’s mission for customers outside of the U.S. Department of Labor is to make sure that programs and activities that provide aid, benefits, services, or training in the public workforce development system - also known as the American Job Center (AJC) or One-Stop Center system – as well as other programs supported by DOL - comply with federal civil rights laws. One of the ways CRC carries out this mission is investigating discrimination complaints filed against these programs and activities. CRC also conducts compliance reviews to make sure that programs and activities are following federal civil rights laws.

2: What Federal civil rights laws are enforced by CRC, and who must comply with these laws?

Section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA) is a primary source of CRC’s enforcement authority. Section 188 prohibits discrimination by programs and activities offered through the American Job Center system (a nationwide workforce preparation and employment system) as well as by other recipients of federal financial assistance. (For a definition of federal financial assistance, please see Question #3 below.) The American Job Center (AJC) system was designed to allow applicants, beneficiaries, and participants to access job-related information, employment and training services, and related support services, primarily through AJC centers located across the nation which are also commonly referred to as “one-stop centers.”

Most of the programs and activities over which CRC has authority to enforce civil rights laws (known as jurisdiction) are part of the AJC system. Various organizations, businesses, and State and local government agencies provide these programs and activities. Some of them receive financial assistance directly from USDOL, while others may receive financial assistance from other Federal departments and agencies. If a program or activity is offered by an AJC partner as part of this “one-stop” system, the program or activity must comply with WIOA Section 188 and other applicable civil rights laws.

CRC also enforces other equal opportunity statutes that prohibit discrimination by programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. CRC’s authority under these statutes is limited to recipients (also known as covered entities) of financial assistance from USDOL. The statutes include Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. They prohibit discrimination against some of the same protected characteristics or statuses as WIOA Section 188. For a list of these bases, see the answer to Question #6 below.

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by state and local government agencies. CRC is responsible for enforcing ADA Title II with regard to programs, services, and regulatory activities relating to labor and the workforce.

For additional information regarding laws administered by CRC’s external programs, please see External Enforcement Statutes and Regulations .

The agencies, organizations, businesses, programs and activities that are covered by one or more of the laws CRC enforces are known as recipients or covered entities.

3: What is “Federal financial assistance”?

Federal financial assistance is assistance that the Federal government gives to a recipient or covered entity, generally an agency (including an agency of state or local government), organization, business, or program/activity, to provide aid, benefits, services, or training to members of the public. This assistance:

May come to the agency, organization, business, program, or activity either:
directly from the Federal government, or
indirectly, through a State or local government agency, or another organization or business.
Maybegiven in monetary dollars and cents but does not have to be. Instead, it may be given in forms such as:
- services (such as secretarial help, publicity, copying services, or teaching services)
- equipment (such as office machines) or furnishings
- food or clothing
- the use of other kinds of property, or of real estate, either for free or for a cost lower than the usual rate.

These types of non-monetary aid are called in-kind assistance.
Agencies, organizations, businesses, programs, or activities that receive any of these types of Federal financial assistance are known as recipients or covered entities.

4: What are some examples of programs and activities that are covered by civil rights laws enforced by CRC?

Examples include WIOA programs for adults, youth, and dislocated workers; Federal employment and training programs for Native Americans and migrant and seasonal farm workers; State employment services programs; Unemployment Insurance programs; the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) for older workers; the Job Corps program; Trade Adjustment Assistance Program; and grant programs that are administered by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS).

5: Who is protected from discrimination under the laws that CRC enforces?

The laws that CRC enforces make it illegal for a covered entity to discriminate against any individual who is a beneficiary, participant, applicant, employee, or someone else who interacts with the covered entity.

For example, a teenager is having a meeting with a counselor who works for a youth job program that is a covered entity. The teen brings his mother, who is deaf, with him to the meeting. Even though the mother is not applying for the youth program, the program must provide an effective way of communicating with the counselor.

6: What types of discrimination are illegal under the laws that CRC enforces?

Discrimination that is taken because of any of the following characteristics or statuses is illegal:

national origin (including limited English proficiency)
race
sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity)
color
religion
age
political affiliation or political belief
disability

Also, there are additional protections for beneficiaries. These are people whom Congress intended to receive aid, benefits, services, or training from a recipient. You do not need to be participating in a federal program or activity to be considered a beneficiary. For example, the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program, which receives Federal financial assistance, offers UI benefits to people who meet specific requirements. People who are eligible for UI benefits are beneficiaries, even if they are not receiving the benefits.

The laws enforced by CRC additionally protect beneficiaries from discrimination based on:

citizenship status; and
participation in a WIOA Title I-financially assisted program or activity

Here is an example of the discrimination against beneficiaries identified above:

XYZ Career Training is a business that receives federal financial assistance to teach job-related training courses. However, the business refuses to train any students from ABC Job Corps Center. XYZ Career Training says it believes all students from the ABC Job Corps Center are “rude and noisy in class.” XYZ Career Training may be discriminating against the ABC Job Corps Center’s students because they are taking part in Job Corps, a program that receives federal financial assistance.

7: What if I was treated unfairly because:

I filed a discrimination complaint in the past?
I talked to an investigator about someone else’s discrimination complaint?
Testified at a hearing about discrimination?
Otherwise participated in a civil rights matter?

The laws that CRC administers and enforces make it illegal to treat someone unfavorably, or to cause them harm, because they do any of the following things:

file a discrimination complaint
oppose a practice that is made illegal by nondiscrimination or equal opportunity law
give information, testify, or take part in any other way, in any of the types of activities in the following list, if they are related to nondiscrimination or equal opportunity: an investigation, a hearing, a compliance review, or any other type of activity (such as requesting a reasonable accommodation for religion, disability or pregnancy).

Treating someone unfavorably or harmfully for one or more of these reasons is called retaliation.

8: Over what geographical area does CRC have jurisdiction?

CRC has jurisdiction over all the United States and U.S. Territories. CRC’s jurisdiction extends to the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Wake Island, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Palau.

Filing a Discrimination Complaint

9: Who may file a discrimination complaint under the laws that CRC enforces?

You may file a complaint under these laws if you think that someone from a covered entity discriminated or retaliated against you personally, or against you and others who are members of the same protected group, listed above.

Please Note: It is important to understand that you may also file a complaint under these laws even if you are not a victim of discrimination or retaliation yourself. If you think that someone from a covered entity discriminated or retaliated against a group of people for one of the bases listed above (for example, discriminated against all people who are disabled, or who are members of a particular religion, or refused to serve a group of customers in retaliation for their participation in a federal investigation or compliance review), you have the right to file a complaint even if you are not a member of that group.

If you have a disability and you need help filing a complaint, please contact CRC to request a reasonable accommodation. Our contact information is listed on this page.

Anyone who files a complaint is a complainant, whether they are the victim of discrimination or not.

10: May I have someone else file a complaint on my behalf?

Yes, you may have someone else file a complaint on your behalf. That person may be a lawyer, a union steward, or anyone else you choose. This person will be your representative. You will still be considered the complainant.

11: Is there a deadline for filing my complaint?

Yes. You must file your complaint within 180 days of the date the discrimination happened. If discrimination is ongoing, you must file your complaint within 180 days of the last date on which the discrimination happened. If more than 180 days have passed, you must show that you have good cause for not filing within the time frame – for example, that there were circumstances beyond your control that prevented you from filing. The CRC Director will decide whether your complaint will be accepted.

12: Where may I file a complaint?

You can file a complaint with CRC or at the State or local level. The entity you think is responsible for the discrimination must give you information on how and where to file at the State or local level.

13: May I file the same complaint at the same time both with CRC and at the State or local level?

No. If you file a complaint with CRC and the State or local level at the same time, CRC will give the State or local level 90 days to process the complaint. CRC will not act on the complaint until the 90-day period ends.

14: What methods and formats may I use to file a complaint?

Whether you file with CRC or at the State or local level, you must file your complaint in writing.
If you are filing with CRC, you can use CRC’s Complaint Information Form (CIF), mailed, or emailed. The CIF and contact information for filing with CRC can be found at www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/civil-rights-center/external/how-to-file-complaint#Complaint. The CIF is available in multiple languages.
If you are filing in a State or local area that has its own complaint form, you can use that form.
You can also use any other document that includes the required information as explained in Question 15 below.

15: What information must a discrimination complaint include?

Whether it is filed with CRC or at the State or local level, the complaint must contain the following information:

Your name; and
Your signature, or the signature of your authorized representative; and
Your address, or another way for us to contact you; and
The name of the covered entity, and/or the individual person, you think is responsible for the discrimination; and
A description of what happened, how you were (or someone else was) harmed by what happened, and how or why you think what happened was caused by discrimination. This description must contain enough information to let CRC, or the State or local level agency, decide:
whether they have authority or jurisdiction to address the complaint; and
whether the complaint was filed in time; and
whether the situation you describe, if true, would violate any of the laws that CRC enforces.

Complaints Filed at the State or Local Level

16: Is there a time frame within which a State or local level agency must process my complaint?

Yes. State- and local-level agencies have 90 days from the date on which a complaint is filed to issue a written Notice of Final Action responding to each issue in the complaint.

17: If I file a complaint at the State or local level, and I am not satisfied with the way the complaint is addressed there, may I come to CRC for help?

Yes. You have a right to file a new complaint with CRC within 30 days of receiving the Notice of Final Action from the State- or local-level agency.

18: What if the State- or local-level agency does not issue a written Notice of Final Action within 90 days of the date on which I filed my complaint?

A: You can file a complaint with CRC within 30 days of the expiration of the 90-day period – in other words, within 30 days of the date by which you should have received a decision at the State or local level.

19: Will CRC review the way the State- or local-level agency processed my complaint?

No. Your filing with CRC is not an appeal. CRC will conduct a new and independent review of your discrimination allegations.

20: My complaint was mediated at the State / local level, and I signed a mediation agreement to resolve the complaint. Now the other party has violated that agreement. May I come to CRC for help?

Yes. If you file a complaint with CRC within 30 days of the date on which you determine that the other party has violated a mediation or settlement agreement, the CRC Director will review the agreement and consider whether the terms of the agreement were handled. The CRC Director may take steps to require that the terms of the agreement are completed. If the Director decides that the agreement has been violated, you will have the right to file a new complaint with CRC.

21: May any of these time limits for filing with CRC be extended?

Yes, but only if you show that you had good cause for not filing within the required time frame. For example, if you can show that the Notice of Final Action did not inform you of your right to file with CRC within 30 days, that could be a good cause.

Complaints Filed With CRC

22: Where and how do I file a discrimination complaint with CRC?

Your complaint must be in writing. You can use either CRC’s CIF (see www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/civil-rights-center/external/how-to-file-complaint#Complaint) or a document with the required information (see answer to Question 15 above).

To send your complaint by postal mail, please address it to:

Director, Civil Rights Center
U.S. Department of Labor
200 Constitution Ave NW
Room N-4123
Washington, DC 20210
ATTENTION: Office of External Enforcement

To fax your complaint, send it to 202-693-6505, ATTENTION: Office of External Enforcement.
To e-mail your complaint, send it to CRCExternalComplaints@dol.gov.

For more information about filing a discrimination complaint with CRC, please see: www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/centers-offices/civil-rights-center/external/how-to-file-complaint#Complaint.

23: Does CRC accept every complaint for investigation or resolution?

No. The CRC Director will determine whether CRC will accept a complaint. For example, a complaint may not be accepted if:

It has not been timely filed; or
CRC has no jurisdiction over the complaint; or
CRC has previously considered the matter.

24: May I file a complaint with CRC anonymously?

No. CRC does not accept complaints filed anonymously.

25: What response will I receive from CRC after I file a complaint?

If you did not use a Complaint Information Form (CIF) to file your complaint, we will send you a CIF to fill out, sign, and return to CRC. The CIF package includes a notice entitled “How We Use Personal Information,” and a form agreeing to these uses of information (called a Consent Form), which must be signed separately.

26: I'm concerned about my privacy and confidentiality. Will CRC release my personal information to anyone else?

CRC is subject to the Privacy Act, which protects individuals from misuse of personal information by the Federal government. However, for us to investigate, it is normally necessary for us to release your identity, and some personal information about you, to individuals outside of CRC who are involved in the investigation or resolution.

27: What happens if I do not sign the Consent Form agreeing to this use of my personal information?

If you do not to sign the Consent Form, the investigation may be hindered or stopped.

28: What will happen once CRC receives my CIF and Consent Form?

Based on the information on the CIF, we will either reject your complaint; ask you to send more information; accept your complaint for investigation; or, in some cases, refer your complaint to another Federal agency, as appropriate.

29: How will I find out whether CRC has accepted or rejected my complaint?

CRC will inform you in writing if:

your complaint is rejected. If this happens, we will let you know the reasons for the rejection.
your complaint is referred to another Federal agency.
your complaint is accepted for investigation. If so, we will also notify the covered entities/recipients against which you have filed your complaint.

30: I was fired from my job. I think my employer discriminated against me. Why didn't CRC accept my complaint?

CRC cannot investigate employment discrimination complaints filed against most private employers. CRC will refer these complaints to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). EEOC is a separate Federal agency that has authority to enforce civil rights laws covering most private employers, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.

31: How does CRC handle a complaint once it has been accepted?

Once CRC accepts a complaint, it is assigned to an investigator. The investigator gathers evidence from the complainant, the covered entity/recipients (referred to as a respondent during an investigation), and witnesses. This process usually happens through telephone calls or interviews, written interrogatories (formal questions), and requests for documents including policies. This process is sometimes referred to as fact-finding. The investigator then analyzes the evidence gathered considering the laws that CRC enforces to determine whether the respondent has violated the law. The investigator and CRC are neutral, meaning they do not represent the complainant or the covered entity/recipient. The investigator conducts the investigation and reviews evidence without favoring one side or another. Their job is to determine whether the evidence violates the law.

32: Does CRC favor either the complainant or the respondent in investigating and analyzing a complaint?

No. CRC is a neutral party. Its role is to decide whether the law has been violated.

33: Are there special procedures for age discrimination cases?

Yes. If there is an allegation of age discrimination against a participant in, or beneficiary of, a program or activity that receives Federal financial assistance, the law requires CRC to refer the complaint to the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) to attempt mediation. If, after 60 days, the complaint cannot be mediated, it will be returned to CRC to be considered for investigation as described above.

34: What happens if CRC determines that a respondent has violated the law?

In these cases, CRC issues a written Initial Determination that outlines the Findings of Fact, the reasons for the determination, and the steps the respondent must take to remedy the violation. The respondent can review the Findings of Fact and present evidence that could change the determination, and/or to agree to voluntarily remedy the violation. If the respondent neither produces additional evidence nor agrees to remedy the violation, CRC will issue a written Final Determination.

35: What happens if CRC determines that a respondent has not violated the law?

In these cases, CRC issues a written Final Determination that outlines the Findings of Fact and explains the reasons for the determination that no violation took place.

36: What remedies will CRC require for a violation of the law?

The proper remedy in a case depends on the facts. Examples of possible remedies include:

Making any victims of discrimination whole: in other words, putting victims in the position they would have been in if they had not been subjected to discrimination. Depending upon the circumstances, this may mean such things as:
Providing them with the aid, benefits, services, or training they were denied;
Hiring, reinstating, or promoting them;
Paying them back pay or other monetary relief;
Requiring the respondent to take such actions as:
Changing its policies, practices, or procedures;
Conducting outreach or recruitment; or
Training or retraining its staff; or
Taking any other steps that the CRC Director determines are necessary.

37: What happens if CRC cannot help me?

CRC can refer your case to an appropriate federal or state agency unless you ask us to do otherwise.

38: What other Federal offices exist to protect my civil rights?

In addition to CRC and the EEOC (see answer to Question 29), several other federal departments and agencies also have offices whose missions are to protect your civil rights.

For more information on those agencies, please see:
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Civil Rights Office
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Housing Civil Rights

Other Helpful Websites
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Homepage
U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy

CRC/USDOL is not responsible for the accuracy, accessibility or availability of information provided on this page regarding other agencies. For detailed information and assistance, please visit the specific agency’s website or contact them directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

About External Discrimination Complaints

CRC's Authority

Filing a Discrimination Complaint

Complaints Filed at the State or Local Level

Complaints Filed with CRC

CRC's Authority

Filing a Discrimination Complaint

Complaints Filed at the State or Local Level

Complaints Filed With CRC