Within OST the Director of the Departmental Office of Civil Rights (DOCR) is the designated
advisor to the Secretary on civil rights matters. The DOCR director provides leadership,
policy, guidance, monitoring, and technical assistance to the OAs in implementing DOT's
civil rights responsibilities.
Since nondiscrimination principles apply across the spectrum of civil rights, the
Department has divided its activities along two broad categories:
Internal civil rights programs affecting DOT employees and applicants for employment. External civil rights programs relating to the beneficiaries and potential beneficiaries of the various transportation programs receiving
Federal financial assistance through DOT.
Each OA has an Office of Civil Rights, or individuals assigned these responsibilities, to ensure civil rights compliance for their respective organization and programs.
Our Mission
One aspect of the Department's civil rights mission, which pertains to employees, is to
eliminate unlawful discrimination in Federal employment on the basis of race, color,
national origin, sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, and disability. Civil rights
laws also protect individuals from reprisal/retaliation for bringing discriminatory conduct
to the attention of the appropriate officials, participating in an investigation, or
opposing discriminatory practices. In addition, various Federal laws prohibit discrimination
based on race, color, national origin, age, and disability in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance. It is our mission to ensure the Department’s
adherence to internal and external civil rights laws, regulations, and Executive Orders.
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Core Responsibilities
Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for DOT employees and applicants for employment Investigate allegations of discrimination Provide a means of redress for DOT employees that are the victims of discrimination Ensure that all beneficiaries and potential beneficiaries have an equal opportunity to participate in DOT-funded transportation programs Ensure compliance with external civil rights programs and review and evaluate the Operating Administrations’ enforcement of these authorities Develop appropriate civil rights polices in cooperation with the Operating Administrations and outside Federal agencies
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Internal Civil Rights Program
As an employee, one should expect the following programs and practices to be available:
Implementing equal opportunity laws and policies to prevent discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, and against individuals with disabilities, as well as protecting individuals against reprisal/retaliation for filing a charge of discrimination, participating in an investigation into alleged discriminatory practices, or opposing discriminatory practices Implementing affirmative employment programs to address under representation of minorities, women and persons with disabilities. These include Special Emphasis programs (for example, the Hispanic Employment Program, the Federal Women's Program, and the People with Disabilities Program) Administering informal and formal programs to resolve EEO complaints filed by DOT employees and applicants for employment, to include using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods, such as mediation, to assist in the fair and early resolution of complaints. DOT maintains a roster of EEO counselors and mediators to provide advice and assistance to employees Administering White House Initiative (WHI) programs implementing presidential executive orders directed to Historically Black Colleges and Universities; Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans; Tribal Colleges and Universities; Increasing Opportunity and Improving Quality of Life of Asian American and Pacific Islanders; and, Increasing the Employment of Adults with Disabilities
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External Civil Rights Program
As a member of the public or a DOT funding recipient, one should expect the following programs and practices to be available:
Providing policy advice, guidance, and training on external civil rights programs and requirements under such statutes as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act Working with other DOT offices, particularly the Office of the General Counsel, to develop and update Department regulations that will effectively implement civil rights statutes Coordinating with the OAs and other Government agencies to ensure civil rights laws are implemented uniformly Handling promptly the intake and referral of discrimination complaints filed against a DOT funding recipient, which include state departments of transportation, motor vehicle departments, and transit and airport authorities, among many others. The External Division provides guidance to DOT’s Offices of Civil Rights on investigating and resolving complaints against funding recipients allegedly engaged in discriminatory practices, and electronically tracks all complaints received by the Department. When necessary, DOCR will guide a person through the complaint process and coordinate a resolution Coordinating various reports requested by the U.S. Department of Justice and other Federal agencies on civil rights matters, and when needed, drafting appropriate Department-wide guidance documents Issuing final agency decisions on appeals by firms that have been denied DBE certification or had their certification removed by a DOT recipient
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Organizational Chart
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