Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER Handling Discrimination Complaints: Determining Timeliness, Jurisdiction & Authority WIA SCSEP TRADE VETS MSFW
Jan 15, 2016
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Handling Discrimination Complaints: Determining
Timeliness, Jurisdiction & Authority
WIASCSEP
TRADEVETS
MSFW
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Learning Objectives
• Explain the requirements for the initial handling of discrimination complaints.
• Explore some of the underlying issues related to making decisions on the initial disposition of discrimination complaints.
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Laws Applicable to USDOL Financial Assistance Recipients
Retaliation/intimidation/
reprisal
All of the above laws
Race, color, nat’l origin, sex, religion, disability, political affiliation or belief, age, and for (beneficiaries only citizenship or participation in any WIA Title I program or activity
Section 188 of the Workforce Investment Act
Any ageAge Discrimination Act of 1975
SexTitle IX, Education Amendments Act of 1972
DisabilityAmericans with Disabilities ActAmericans with Disabilities Act
DisabilitySection 504 - Rehabilitation Act
Race, color, nat’l originTitle VI - Civil Rights Act of 1964
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
29 CFR Part 37Section 188 of the Workforce Investment Act
29 CFR Part 35Age Discrimination Act of 1975
49 CFR Part 25Title IX - Education Amendments Act of 1972
28 CFR Part 35Americans with Disabilities Act
29 CFR Part 32Section 504 - Rehabilitation Act
29 CFR Part 31Title VI - Civil Rights Act of 1964
Regulations Applicable to USDOL Financial Assistance Recipients
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Determining Timeliness
Complaints alleging discrimination, to be timely, must be filed within 180 days of the alleged discrimination.
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Determining Timeliness
Date Complaint Filed
Date of Alleged Discrimination
0 180Days
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Extending the 180 Day Filing Period
Only the Director of the Civil Rights Center has the authority to extend the 180 day time frame. Extensions are only granted for “good cause.”
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Activity: Determining Timeliness
Purpose:Purpose:
Use scenarios as an exercise in applying the 180 day timeframe.
Task:Task:
You are a member of a Complaint Intake Unit. You have been asked to review letters of compliant to determine whether the complaints were timely filed. You will be asked to share your conclusion with the workshop.
Time: Time: 15 minutes
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Timeliness
1. Complainant filed beyond the 180 day period.
Is the complaint timely? Why or why not?
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Timeliness
2. Complaint was received 182 days after date of alleged discrimination.Is the complaint timely? Why or
why not?
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Timeliness
3. Complainant filed within 180 days based on the last date of alleged discrimination and the complaint goes back three years.Is the complaint timely? Why or
why not?
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Determining Jurisdiction & Authority
The complaint should meet the following basic criteria:
• It must allege discrimination on a basis prohibited by one of the statutes enforced.
• It must allege that discrimination is occurring in a program or activity that receives Federal financial assistance from your agency.
• The issue/subject matter addressed by the complaint must be covered by one or more of the statutes enforced.
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Determining Jurisdiction & Authority
For purposes of WIA, One-Stop partners, as defined in section 121(b) of WIA, are treated as ‘‘recipients,’’ and are subject to the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity requirements of this part, to the extent that they participate in the One-Stop delivery system. See 37.4 for the definition of “recipient.”
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Activity: Determining Jurisdiction and Authority
Purpose:Purpose:
Use scenarios as an exercise in applying regulatory requirements to determine jurisdiction and authority.
Task:Task:
You are a member of a Complaint Intake Unit. You have been asked to review letters of complaints to determine whether the recipient has jurisdiction and authority.
– Decide whether the complaint is covered under Section 188 of WIA and why.
– You will be asked to share your conclusions with the workshop.
Time: Time: 20 minutes
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Authority
1. Complainant alleges nepotism.
Does the recipient have authority in this matter? Why or why not?
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Authority
2. Complainant alleges pre-selection.Does the recipient have authority in this matter?
Why or why not?
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Authority
3. Complaint alleges discrimination because s/he is not a voter.Does the recipient have authority in this matter?
Why or why not?
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
1. A 1-Stop Center staff person alleges sexual harassment by a person that delivers to the 1-Stop Center.
Does the recipient have jurisdiction over this matter? Why or why not?
Jurisdiction
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Jurisdiction
2. Complainant alleges discrimination in a program receiving financial assistance from another Federal agency that is in the 1-Stop System.
Does the recipient have jurisdiction over this matter? Why or why not?
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Jurisdiction
3. Complainant alleges discrimination against an employer to whom the complainant was referred to by the 1-Stop Center.
Does the recipient have jurisdiction over this matter? Why or why not?
Conducted by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and
Management, CIVIL RIGHS CENTER
Any Questions?Any Questions?