The Civil Rights Center administers and enforces laws that apply to:

  • 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/American Job Center workforce development system;
  • State and local governments and other public entities operating programs and activities related to labor and the workforce, regardless of whether they receive federal financial assistance (for disability-related matters only); and
  • any recipients of financial assistance from, or programs conducted by, DOL that are not included in the categories above.

A few examples include:

  • WIA programs for adults, youth, and dislocated workers
  • State employment service programs
  • The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) for older workers
  • Trade Assistance Act Programs
  • Federal employment and training programs for Native Americans and migrant and seasonal farm workers
  • Unemployment Insurance
  • Job Corps
  • Other grant programs administered by DOL agencies, such as the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the Veterans' Employment and Training Service

CRC's Office of External Enforcement (OEE) processes, investigates, and adjudicates complaints alleging discrimination on basis of:

  • Race;
  • Color;
  • Religion (including failure to accommodate);
  • National origin (including Limited English Proficiency);
  • Age;
  • Sex (including pregnancy and gender identity);
  • Disability (including failure to provide accessible facilities, accommodations or modifications, or equally effective communications); or
  • Political affiliation or belief.

Sometimes the CRC can also enforce the law prohibiting discrimination on the following basis:

  • Citizenship/status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work in the United States (applicable to beneficiaries of WIA-related programs or other programs or activities offered by a One-Stop partner through the One-Stop system);
  • Participation in a program or activity that receives financial assistance under WIA Title I;
  • Sexual orientation or status as a parent (prohibited in Federally-conducted education and training programs, such as Job Corps).

CRC also handles complaints alleging:

  • Retaliation against, or intimidation of, anyone who takes any of the following actions related to nondiscrimination or equal opportunity in any of the covered programs and activities:
    • Files a discrimination complaint;
    • Opposes a practice that is made illegal by civil rights law; or
    • Gives information to, testifies at, or in any other way takes part in an investigation, a compliance review, a hearing, or any other type of civil rights- related activity.