Civil Rights Center (CRC)
The Civil Rights Center (CRC) is responsible for ensuring nondiscrimination and equal opportunity (EO) for two primary populations: employees of, and applicants for employment with, DOL; and the more than 39 million individuals served by the nation's One-Stop Career Center service delivery system (including the Job Corps program). CRC also administers DOL's Special Emphasis programs, as well as the Department's recently-established Reasonable Accommodation Resource Center (RARC).
CRC is divided into three offices:
The Office of External Enforcement (OEE), one of CRC's two external worker-protection offices, processes complaints alleging discrimination and/or violations of equal opportunity requirements by:
- recipients of financial assistance under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
- One-Stop partners listed in WIA Section 121(b) that offer programs or activities through the One-Stop system
- any other recipients of financial assistance from DOL itself
These recipients and partners are collectively known as external entities.
The Office of Compliance Assistance and Planning (OCAP), CRC's other worker-protection office, conducts compliance reviews of the same recipients, partners, and programs listed above. The reviews conducted by OCAP include reviews of the Methods of Administration (MOA) nondiscrimination plans that all Governors are required to prepare, submit, and follow. OCAP also develops regulations, and provides training and technical assistance for internal and external stakeholders and other interested parties, related to the laws CRC administers that are applicable to external entities. The training and technical assistance is provided in a number of ways, including partnering with other DOL agencies to produce guidance documents and other tools.
The Office of Internal Enforcement (OIE) administers DOL's internal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) program. OIE processes employment discrimination complaints filed by DOL employees, applicants for employment with DOL, or DOL contractor employees who qualify as Federal employees. The office is also responsible for drafting DOL's policy statements regarding EEO and Harassing Conduct, which are signed by the Secretary of Labor. In addition, OIE provides training and technical assistance to DOL managers, supervisors, and employees about EEO matters.
Important: CRC has no jurisdiction over, and therefore cannot investigate discrimination complaints against, private employers that are not recipients of Federal financial assistance from DOL or under WIA Title I. Those complaints should be filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
