Complaints

Grounds for a Complaint

One of the main responsibilities of an equal opportunity officer is to investigate complaints of discrimination from employees. Employees may file a complaint with the EEO officer of the agency where the alleged discrimination occurred if they believe that they have been subjected to discrimination because of:

Race
Color
Religious creed
Pregnancy
Ancestry
Union membership
Age

Gender
Sexual orientation
Gender identity or expression
National origin
AIDS or HIV status
Disability

Filing a Complaint

An employee may file a complaint by contacting the agency EEO officer or by email to

OA-Equal Employment Opportunity

There is no legal requirement that complaints be in writing, but the complainant may be asked to do so.

STD 486C Discrimination Complaint Form can be used by an employee to file a discrimination complaint.
STD 486A Discrimination Complaint Appeal Form can be used by a complainant who is not satisfied with the agency’s decision to appeal to the OA-Equal Employment Opportunity.
STD 486W Discrimination Complaint Withdrawal Form can be used to notify the agency that a complaint has been withdrawn.

Investigating a Complaint

The agency EEO officer leads the investigation on internal complaints. MD 410.10 has detailed guidance on how to investigate and resolve internal discrimination complaints. Every complaint must be taken seriously and investigated. Depending upon the specific allegations, an investigation may be conducted on a formal or informal basis.

Complaint reports must be compiled and submitted to OA-Equal Employment Opportunity each quarter.
Management Directive 410.10 - Guidelines for Investigating and Resolving Internal Discrimination Complaints

Whenever a complaint or action is filed in any court or outside agency, the investigation must be transferred to the agency chief counsel.