Your Civil Rights and Disaster Assistance

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) is the law that authorizes Federal assistance when the President declares a State to be a disaster area. Section 308 of the Stafford Act protects individuals from discrimination on the basis of their race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, or economic status in all disaster assistance programs. Section 309 of the Stafford Act applies these non-discrimination provisions to all private relief organizations participating in the response and recovery effort.

In addition, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 also protects individuals from discrimination on the basis of their race, color, or national origin in programs that receive Federal financial assistance. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a Federal law that protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination in all programs receiving funds from the Federal government or operated by the Federal government. Section 508 of that law prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in regard to federally operated technology systems.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 21-Mar-2006 08:34:43 EST