Complaint Procedure

  1. Any person who claims to have been injured by a violation of § 156-2 may file a complaint with the Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management. Such a complaint shall be filed within 90 days after the alleged violation occurred. Complaints shall be in writing, shall state the facts upon which the violation is based and shall be verified. Upon receipt of a complaint, the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management shall furnish a copy of the same to the person or persons allegedly committing the violation with the request that a verified answer be filed with the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management within 20 days of receipt of the copy of the complaint.
  2. After receipt of the answer or upon the expiration of the 20 days without receipt of an answer, the Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management shall proceed to try to mediate the dispute and eliminate or correct the alleged violation by informal methods of conference, conciliation and persuasion. Nothing said or done in the course of such proceedings may be made public or used as evidence in a subsequent proceeding under this chapter without the written consent of the person concerned.
  3. If the Director of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management is unsuccessful in resolving the complaint, then the matter shall be referred to the State Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities or, if the violation of this chapter also constitutes a violation of a state or federal statute, to other appropriate state or federal authorities.