Our Jurisdiction

Federal Employees

The Office of Civil Rights and Diversity processes complaints of unlawful employment discrimination filed by employees of, and applicants for,  employment with DOE, including counseling employees, investigating and resolving complaints, preparing cases for hearing before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and issuing final department decisions. For Federal employees located at the Department's various Field sites, the Office has delegated some stages of the complaint processing responsibility to the Field EEO/Diversity Programs Managers.

Contractor Employees

A substantial portion of the mission of the Department of Energy is performed by operating and onsite service contractors. Individuals who work for operating and onsite service contractors are not employees of the Department of Energy. Rather, they are employees of the particular operating or onsite service contractor that hired them.

While the Department requires its contractors to establish and implement affirmative action programs, complaints of discrimination involving contractor employees or applicants are not processed within the Department. By virtue of Executive Order 11246 (30 Fed. Reg. 11319, September 26, 1965), the Department of Labor is responsible for processing complaints filed by contractor employees. Written complaints which allege discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap or veteran status at contractor facilities are referred to the regional office of the Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs that covers the contractor site involved. The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, as appropriate, transmits complaints filed with it to the cognizant office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Institutions/Organizations Receiving DOE Financial Assistance

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex or national origin in programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. In accordance with Title VI, the Office will investigate complaints of discrimination received from program beneficiaries of DOE financial assistance provided to an institution, organization or state or local government. The Department's Title VI regulations are set out at 10 C.F.R., Part 1040. A complaint may be filed with the Director, Office of Civil Rights and Diversity, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C., 20585