Employment Litigation 

Individual Complaints of Employment Discrimination:

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”) prohibits discrimination, including harassment and retaliation, based on race, sex, color, religion, and national origin. If you believe you have been unlawfully denied an employment opportunity or otherwise discriminated against by an employer in violation of Title VII, you should contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC may be contacted by calling 1-800-669-4000 or 1-800-669-6820 (TTY).

The EEOC maintains a website with information on how to file a complaint.

Complaints of Employment Discrimination involving a Group
or Class of Individuals:

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”) prohibits discrimination, including harassment and retaliation, based on race, sex, color, religion, and national origin.

Under Title VII, the Attorney General has authority to bring suit against a state or local government employer where there is reason to believe that a "pattern or practice" of discrimination exists. Generally, these are factually and legally complex cases that seek to alter an employment practice, such as recruitment, hiring, assignment and promotions, which have the purpose or effect of denying employment or promotional opportunities to a class of individuals.

If you have reason to believe that a state or local government employer has unlawfully denied an employment opportunity or otherwise discriminated against a class of individuals by creating a "pattern or practice" of discrimination in violation of Title VII, you should contact the Department of Justice (DOJ). The DOJ may be contacted by calling (202) 514-3831 or (202) 514-6780 (TTY).

Complaints of Employment Discrimination
involving Service Members:

If you believe you have been discriminated against in employment because of your military service or you have been denied your right to return to your job after deployment, you may seek the assistance of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (“ESGR”). You may contact the ESGR about your employment situation by calling toll-free 1 (800) 336-4590.

If you choose to file a USERRA claim with the Department of Labor (DOL), you may submit a signed hard copy of Form 1010 or electronically file. To submit a hard copy, you can download Form 1010 to your computer, complete the items on the form that are relevant to your claim, sign and date the form, and mail it to the nearest VETS office. Second, you may file a Form 1010 electronically via the Intranet by completing and submitting the online form. It is important that you file with DOL or consult with a private attorney as soon as possible.

You also may retain a private attorney to handle your claim and file directly with a court of competent jurisdiction.

Federal Coordination and Compliance 

If you believe you or an individual that you or your organization represents has been discriminated against because of your race, color, or national origin, including limited English proficiency (LEP), by programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance, you may contact the Federal Coordination and Compliance Section. If you believe that you or an individual that you or your organization represents has been be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination on the basis of your sex by any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance, you may contact the Federal Coordination and Compliance Section.

For information on language assistance services available, click here.

To file a complaint alleging discrimination in programs or activities of entities that receive federal assistance, please print and fill out the appropriate complaint form:

English: Complaint and Consent/Release Form - English (PDF)
Español: Formulario de Denuncia / Formulario de Consentimiento (PDF)
Chinese: 投訴表 / 投訴人同意書/授權協議書
Korean: 이의 제기 양식 / 이의 제기자 정보 공개 동의서
Vietnamese: MẪU ĐƠN KHIẾU NẠI / MẪU CHẤP THUẬN/TIẾT LỘ THÔNG TIN CỦA NGƯỜI KHIẾU NẠI

Please mail the complaint to the following address: Should you need assistance, our phone numbers are:
(888) 848-5306 - English and Spanish (ingles y español)
(202) 307-2222 (voice)
(202) 307-2678 (TDD)

Housing and Civil Enforcement 

Housing Discrimination:

Individuals who believe that they have been victims of housing discrimination may file a complaint with the Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] or file their own lawsuit in federal or state court. You must file the complaint with HUD within one year of the incident you believe to be housing discrimination. You have two years to file your own lawsuit in federal court.

Credit Discrimination:

Individuals who believe that they have been victims of housing discrimination regarding credit, such as the denial of a mortgage, may file a complaint with HUD. Individual complaints of discrimination in credit that are not housing-related are handled by the agencies who regulate the individual creditor.

Discrimination in Public Accommodation:

Individuals who believe that they have been victims of housing discrimination in public accommodations, such as a restaurant or hotel, may contact the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section. You may file your own lawsuit in federal court or state court and may have some rights under other federal laws, state laws, or local ordinance. You should consult with your local or state civil rights enforcement agency.

Discrimination in Religious Land Use:

Individuals or entities who believe that they have been victims of discrimination against religious assemblies and institutions may contact the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section. Individuals may also file a lawsuit in federal court.

Discrimination against Servicemembers:

Individuals who believe that their rights as servicemembers have been violated should consult the military legal assistance office locator. Dependents of servicemembers can also contact or visit local military legal assistance offices where they reside.

Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices 

The Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices enforces the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which prohibits discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee that is based on an individual’s national origin or citizenship status. The statute also prohibits unfair documentary practices during the employment eligibility verification (Form I-9) process (document abuse), and retaliation or intimidation.

OSC charge forms are available in English, Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. To view and print these forms, click the links below.

English: PDF
Spanish: PDF
Chinese: PDF
Vietnamese: PDF

For more detailed instructions on how to file a charge, please visit our Charge Page.

To file a charge, please fill out the charge form and mail or fax the charge form to:

Worker Hotline: 1-800-255-7688 [Voice] or 1-800-237-2515 [TTY]
Employer Hotline: 1-800-255-8155 [Voice] or 1-800-362-2735 [TTY]
Direct Office Line: 1-202-616-5594 [Voice] or 1-202-616-5525 [TTY]
Fax: (202) 616-5509

Special Litigation 

To file a complaint, write the Special Litigation Section (SPL) explaining the situation about which you are complaining, with as much detail as possible. If you are aware of similar incidents involving others, please include that information as well. SPL does not have legal authority to represent individuals. In most of SPL’s work, a single incident of mistreatment will not be sufficient to start an investigation. The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) and the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE) are exceptions to this general rule, and single incidents may be sufficient to start an investigation. Please include information on how to contact you if we need further information (such as an address, telephone number and e-mail address). Also, do not include original documents as we cannot guarantee their safe return. You can send information to: The Section can be reached by telephone: (202) 514-6255 or toll-free at (877) 218-5228.

Voting 

You can register a complaint, comment or send an email message to the Voting Section at Voting.Section@usdoj.gov.

You may use email if you want to provide your views on a Section 5 submission that is being reviewed. Please click here to find out how to make your comment.