Your EEO Protections
Filing an EEO Complaint
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Additional Resources
Contact Us
Equal employment opportunity (EEO) laws protect FEMA employees, former employees, and job applicants from workplace discrimination or harassment.
Please note the information on this page is for FEMA employees and applicants for employment at FEMA. For other questions about filing an employment discrimination complaint, please visit the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) website.
Your EEO Protections
FEMA supports the ability of all employees to exercise their rights under federal civil rights statutes and states that discrimination on the following bases is against the law:
- Race
- Color
- National origin
- Religion
- Sex
- Age
- Disability
- Protected genetic information (including family medical history)
- Parental status
- Reprisal
Protection against certain forms of discrimination, such as on the bases of marital status, parental status, or political affiliation, is enforced by federal laws, regulations, and Executive Orders, and not enforced by the EEOC.
FEMA also will not tolerate any type of harassment—either sexual or nonsexual—of any employee or applicant for employment.
FEMA’s EEO policies comply with the Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002. Learn more about the No FEAR Act.
Filing an EEO Complaint
If you are a FEMA employee, a former FEMA employee, or have applied for a job at FEMA and believe FEMA discriminated against you, you have a right to file a complaint.
To file an EEO complaint, you must contact and initiate an informal EEO complaint with an EEO counselor. Employees, former employees, and applicants must contact an EEO counselor within 45 calendar days of when the incident occurred, or in the case of a personnel action, within 45 calendar days of the effective date.
Step-by-Step Instructions
To file an EEO complaint at FEMA:
- Contact an EEO counselor through FEMA OCR by phone 202-212-3535 or email FEMA-OCR-EEO@fema.dhs.gov.
- FEMA OCR will assign you an EEO counselor. The EEO counselor serves as a neutral party whose main role is to explore options for resolution of the issues involved.
- During counseling, the EEO counselor will advise you in writing of your rights and responsibilities, explain the complaint process, and conduct a limited inquiry into the allegations presented. This inquiry may involve interviews with employees, management officials, or persons the counselor determines may have some firsthand knowledge of the allegations. Counseling is normally completed within 30 calendar days.
The period for counseling may be extended for an additional 60 calendar days upon the written request of the employee and the agreement of the servicing EEO office. - In most cases, the EEO counselor will give you the choice of participating either in EEO counseling or in an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) program. If resolution is not achieved, the counselor plays a vital role in ensuring prompt and efficient processing of the discrimination complaint.
If a resolution is not made, you will be given a Notice of Right to File a Formal Discrimination Complaint. You must file with FEMA OCR within 15 calendar days after your notice is received.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
ADR is a voluntary, informal, and confidential process used by FEMA to try to resolve EEO complaints at the earliest possible opportunity.
In traditional counseling, EEO resolutions are not determined by people in the conflict. ADR, by contrast, helps the parties involved in the complaint manage the conflict. ADR allows parties the opportunity to improve communication and reach mutually agreeable terms to resolve their issues and concerns
How ADR Works
During the ADR process, a neutral mediator will facilitate a meeting and help all parties communicate clearly, consider creative ways to reach a resolution, and explore realistic terms for resolution. The mediator does not make judgments or determinations on EEO cases; rather, they help the parties reach a mutually acceptable resolution.
Additional Resources
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Overview of the Federal Sector EEO Complaints Process
Contact Us
FEMA Office of Civil Rights
Phone: 202-212-3535
fema-ocr-eeo@fema.dhs.gov