Federal Employees & Applicants Overview

About the EEOC

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces Federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. These laws protect you against employment discrimination when it involves:

• Unfair treatment because of your race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
• Harassment by managers, co-workers, or others in your workplace, because of your race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
• Denial of a reasonable workplace accommodation that you need because of your religious beliefs or disability.
• Retaliation because you complained about job discrimination, or assisted with a job discrimination investigation or lawsuit.

In addition to laws that EEOC enforces, there are federal protections from discrimination on other bases including status as a parent, marital status, political affiliation, and conduct that does not adversely affect the performance of the employee.

If you believe that you have been discriminated against by a federal agency, you have a right to file a complaint with that agency. The first step is to contact an EEO Counselor at the agency within 45 days of the discriminatory action. The individual may choose to participate in either counseling, or in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) when the agency offers ADR. Ordinarily, counseling must be completed within 30 days and ADR within 90 days. At the end of counseling, or if ADR is unsuccessful, the individual may then file a complaint with the agency.

Federal EEO Complaint Process

If you believe that you have been discriminated against by a federal agency, you have a right to file a complaint with that agency within 45 days of the discriminatory act.  Each agency is required to post information about how to contact the agency's EEO Office.  You can contact an EEO Counselor by calling the office responsible for the agency's EEO complaints program.  You may also consult the list of Federal Agency EEO Directors for information regarding who to contact within your federal agency if you suspect discrimination or harassment

·         Additional Information About the Complaint Process