EEO Complaints

Federal EEO Complaints Program

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces laws that make it illegal to discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy/pregnancy-related conditions), age (40 years of age and older), disability (physical and mental), genetic information, or reprisal/retaliation for current or prior protected EEO activity. These specific criteria are EEO-protected categories of discrimination. 

The Federal EEO Complaints Program protects federal employees, former federal employees, and job applicants for federal employment from unlawful discrimination and harassment. The program and its processes are governed under 29 CFR § 1614. 

Visitors, employees, and clients of organizations outside of the BIA, BIE, and BTFA that receive Federal funding from DOI, BIA, BIE, or BTFA may file a complaint through the Public Civil Rights complaint process, which is wholly distinct from the EEO complaint process.

What should I do if I feel I have been discriminated against?

If any federal employee, former federal employee (with exceptions), or applicant for federal employment (with exceptions) within Indian Affairs feels they have been discriminated against or harassed because of one or more of the protected bases, their first step must be to contact an EEO Counselor or the Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights within 45 calendar days of the date of the alleged occurrence or when they became aware of the alleged occurrence of unlawful discrimination and harassment. From there, you will be guided to either the informal or formal complaints process.