Complaint procedures for Office of Civil rights


The Office for Civil Rights is responsible for enforcing Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq., Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq., Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C. 794 and the Age
Discrimination Act of 1975, 42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq., implemented at 45
C.F.R. Part 90, which prohibit discrimination on the bases of race, color
national origin, sex, handicap and age, respectively, in educational
programs and activities receiving or benefiting from Federal financial
assistance from the U. S.  Department of Education.


If you believe the matter you are complaining about is covered by our
regulations and wish to file a complaint, you may fill out the enclosed
discrimination form or write us a letter. The letter should include the
following information:



1) your name, address, and telephone number;

2) the basis (race, color, national origin, age, sex, handicap) of the
alleged discrimination;

3) the name(s) and address(es) of the institution(s) you believe have
discriminated against you;

4) the approximate date(s) of the discriminatory act(s);

5) a detailed description of the alleged discriminatory act(s) including
any supporting documents;

6) the name of any other Federal, state or local civil rights agency or
any Federal or state court with which you intend to file this  complaint;
and,

7)	if applicable, the status of your complaint within the internal
grievance procedures of the institution.



Please be sure that your original signature is on the complaint form.

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There are two laws governing personal information submitted to Federal
 agencies such as OCR: The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U S C #552a), and the
Freedom of Information Act (5 U S C #552). Enclosed is a notice about
investigatory uses of personal information, which briefly describes these
laws Please read this notice, sign all forms, returning one copy to OCR
and keeping one for your information

We also wish to make you aware that, in general, OCR only processes
 complaints which have been filed within 180 calendar days of the last
alleged act of discrimination or within 60 days after the completion of an
internal grievance procedure Therefore, if you feel that your allegations
of discrimination may be untimely and you wish to request a waiver of the
180-day filing limitation, you should indicate in writing the specific
reasons for the delay in filing your complaint we will notify you whether
your request for a waiver has been granted *

If we may be of any further assistance, please contact Neil Green, Equal
Opportunity Specialist, at (617) 223-9692

 Sincerely,
Carolyn F Lazaris
Director
Program Review and Management
Support Staff

Enclosures

*Waivers normally are granted only for one or more of the following reasons

- the complainant could not reasonably be expected to know within 180
 days of its occurrence that the treatment was discriminatory; the
complaint, however, must be filed within 60 days of learning that the act
was possibly discriminatory;


there was an illness or other incapacitating circumstances which
precluded filing within 180 days; or

- there was no action taken by another federal, state, or local  civil
 rights enforcement agency with whom a similar  complaint was filed.


Your written waiver request must address one of these areas in order to
 be granted.  Waivers for any other reasons are only at the discretion of
the OCR Regional Director and for sufficient cause. We will review your
request and let you know whether there are adequate grounds to waive the
filing tim

elines.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
OFF I CE FOR CI V I L RIGHTS

DISCRIMINATIONS COMPLAINT FORM

Complainant:

Address:

City, State, and Zip Code:

Telephone Number:
	(Area Code )	(home)

	( Area Code )	( Business)

Person Discriminated Against

( if other than complainant ):

Address:

City, State, and Zip Code:

	Telephone Number:	__

( Area Code )

Institution which you believe has discriminated:

Name:

Address:

City , State, and Zip Code:

Telephone Number:

(Area Code)

Injured Party was discriminated against because of ( check one or more ):

Race or Color

National Origin

Sex

Handicap

Age

When d id the discrimination occur?
( Date)

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Describe the discrimination: (Use additional sheets if necessary)




Have efforts been made to resolve this complaint through the institution's
internal grievance procedure? Yes / / No /

If "yes" what is the status of the grievance?



Has this complaint been filed with this agency or any other Federal,
State, or local civil rights agency or court?

	Yes /	/	No /	/

Agency or Court:

Contact Person:

Address:

City, State, and Zip Code:

	Telephone Number:	Date filed:

(Area Code)

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Do you intend to file with another agency or court? Yes / / No / /

Agency or Court:

Address:

Telephone Number:

(Area Code)

Date when you intend to file:

Have you (or the person discriminated against filed any other complaints
with this agency)?

Yes / / No / /

Against whom were they filed?

Name
and
address:




City, State, and Zip Code:


Telephone Number:
(Area Code)


Date of Filing:

Briefly, what was the complaint about?


What was the result?


	Signature	                                  Date