If you believe that you have been discriminated against, fill out and email or fax our Intake Questionnaire or contact our office at 343-4342 or 343-4343 and ask to speak with an Intake Officer. If the Intake Officer is not available when you call, please leave your name and a contact number where they can reach you.
The Intake Officer will contact you, usually the same day you call our office. They will explain the law and check whether the issues you're describing fall within our jurisdiction. When you speak with the Intake Officer, you should have some basic information on hand:
WHERE did the alleged discrimination occur? Was it at work (employment)? Was it while looking for a home or apartment (housing)? Was it at a store where you shop (public accommodation)?
WHO allegedly discriminated against you? Your boss or a co-worker? A store clerk? A realtor or landlord?
WHAT did the person do or say to you that was different from how they treated others? For instance, a simple lack of courtesy is not necessarily discrimination - but refusing service to a person because of their race or gender is.
WHY do you believe that they discriminated against you? Can you make a clear link between their actions or words and your protected status? Remember that, under the law, protected statuses are race, color, creed, national origin, sex, marital status, families with children, age, disability, the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability.
WHEN or what date did the discrimination occur? A complaint must be filed with our agency within 180 days or approximately six months of the most recent date of the alleged violation.
The Intake Officer will assist you in deciding whether there is a basis for filing a formal complaint. If the situation you're describing does NOT fall within our jurisdiction, the Intake Officer may be able to suggest other options or resources to you. If you decide to file a formal complaint, the Intake Officer will schedule a time for you to draft and finalize the complaint. Notaries are available to notarize the final complaint.