If you are a District employee or applicant and you wish to file a complaint alleging discrimination or a complaint concerning reprisal for engaging in protected EEO activity, you can file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or with a certified D.C. Equal Employment Opportunity counselor (followed by a formal complaint filed with the D.C. Office of Human Rights). If you’re covered by a union agreement, you might have an option to file a union grievance.
Each of these options – the EEOC, the DC Office of Human Rights (OHR), and union agreement – have different factors to consider, such as deadlines, the kinds of discrimination that is prohibited, and the personnel actions that are considered. For example, under the EEOC rules, a D.C. employee has 300 days to file a charge of discrimination, but under DC OHR, the employee has only 180 days and must initiate with a certified DC EEO counselor.
Both the DC Human Rights Act and the federal civil rights acts prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age disability, and genetic information. The DC Human Rights Act, (DCHRA) however, also prohibits employment discrimination based on:
- Marital Status
- Personal Appearance
- Sexual orientation
- Gender Identity
- Familial Status
- Family Responsibilities
- Matriculation
- Political Affiliation
- Source of Income
- Credit Information
- Criminal background
- Employment status
- Matriculation
If you are a DC government employee, or you were an applicant, and you think you’ve been discriminated against by the DC government, talk with a lawyer to learn you rights and obligations.