December 17, 2019
Civil Rights: The Right to Complain
Submitted by Jennifer R Wilson
In the November 12 Tuesday Letter, we discussed the importance of the And Justice for All poster as a way to notify the public that we do not discriminate. Another important function of the And Justice For All poster is to notify program participants of their right to complain if they feel they have been denied access to Extension programming. Each Extension staff member should know the proper procedure for handling a complaint.
It’s always best when complaints can be handled at the lowest possible level. In a local unit, the local unit director should discuss the concern with the complainant, apprise them of their rights and obtain the appropriate documentation (see below). In the absence of the local unit director, any agent, office professional or program assistant should be knowledgeable of the process and be prepared to obtain the documentation.
Documentation should include:
- Name and address of complainant
- Date of complaint
- The basis for the complaint (race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age or disability)
- The nature of the alleged program discrimination complaint
- The date and circumstances under which the alleged discriminatory action occurred
- The program area involved
- The name of the staff member allegedly involved in the discriminatory action
Forward this information to the regional director and the Director for Extension who will assist in investigating the complaint.
Complainants always have the right to contact the Director for Extension, 123 Umberger Hall, 1612 Claflin Rd, Manhattan, KS 66506 or the USDA Director. Complaints made directly to USDA can be made online, in writing to USDA, Director—Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Ave, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or by calling 202-720-5964.
Review these procedures at least annually at a staff conference and make sure all new local unit employees are aware of how to handle civil rights complaints.