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Services We Provide

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 disability status, 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 the low participation rate of any race, national origin, gender, or disability group. 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

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