Workforce Investment Act - Equal Opportunity

Equal Opportunity is the Law. The Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity provisions in Sec. 188 of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) prohibit recipients of Federal financial assistance under the Act to discriminate on the following bases:

• Against any individual in the United States on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, or belief; and
• Against any beneficiary of programs financially assisted under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1988 (WIA), on the basis of the beneficiary’s citizenship/status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work in the United States, or his or her participation in any WIA Title I financially assisted program or activity.
• Making employment decisions in the administration of, or in connection with, such a program or activity.

Recipients must not discriminate in any of the following areas

• Providing opportunities in, or treating any person with regard to, such a pro 
• Making employment decisions in the administration of, or in connection with, such a program or activity. 

What to do if you believe you have experienced discrimination

If you think that you have been subjected to discrimination under a WIA financially assisted program or activity, you may file a complaint within 180 days from the date of the alleged violation with the Local Area WIA Equal Opportunity Officer or the State WIA Equal Opportunity Officer.*

• Contact Local Workforce Investment Area EO Officer
  • Local Workforce Investment Area Equal Opportunity Officers
• OR Contact State WIA Equal Opportunity Office
  • Vicki M. Tanner
    James Monroe Building
    101 North 14th Street, 17th Floor
    Richmond, VA 23219
    Telephone – 804.819.1682
    Fax – 804.819.1698
    VA Relay – 711
• OR you may file directly with the US Department of Labor at:
  • Director of the Civil Rights Center (CRC)
    U.S. Department of Labor
    200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N-4123
    Washington, DC 20210
    Voice: (202) 693-6502
    TTY (202) 693-6515

*If you file your complaint with the State EO Officer at the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), you must wait until either the VCCS issues a written Notice of Final Action, or until 90 days have passed (whichever is sooner), before filing with the Civil Rights Center (see address above). If the VCCS does not give you a written Notice of Final Action within 90 days of the day on which you filed your complaint, you do not have to wait for the VCCS to issue that Notice before filing a complaint with CRC. However, you must file your CRC complaint within 30 days of the 90-day deadline (in other words, within 120 days after the day on which you filed your complaint with the VCCS).

If the VCCS does give you a written Notice of Final Action on your complaint, but you are dissatisfied with the decision or resolution, you may file a complaint with CRC. You must file your CRC complaint within 30 days of the date on which you received the Notice of Final Action.

You may use one of the following forms to begin the filing process.

• Complaint Information Form (CIF), form DL 1-2014a (English)
• Complaint Information Form (CIF) DL 1-2014a - (Español)

Other Resources

• WIA EO Methods of Administration
• Click here for the MOA Elements
• Department of Labor-Civil Rights Center (CRC)
• U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission

The Virginia Community College System – Workforce Development Services is an equal opportunity employer/ program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.