Our Mission
The mission of the Office of Civil Rights is to assure equal opportunity for minorities, women, persons with disabilities, people with limited English proficiency, and to develop and administer Departmental policies, practices, and procedures under certain laws and titles.
Our Jurisdiction
Our office has jurisdiction over Titles VI, VII and IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended, and related statutes and Executive Orders which prohibit discrimination in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance.
Our Activities
We also work to develop policies and guidelines for the Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program; and to direct, implement, and manage the total Energy Department Equal Employment Opportunity Affirmative Action Program to assure equal opportunity for minorities, women and persons with disabilities; and to develop policies and programs consistent with the Secretary's diversity policies. Additionally, the Office:
- Develops policy and procedures to provide equal employment opportunity for minorities, women and persons with disabilities in areas of recruitment, training and upward mobility;
- Develops departmental affirmative employment plans, and provides guidance to departmental elements for developing their own affirmative employment plans;
- Reviews policy implications of legislative proposals, Executive Orders, regulations, and administrative actions to determine their impact on our Department's civil rights functions;
- Evaluates the operational effectiveness of field elements in implementing their responsibilities under Federal and departmental regulations;
Establishes and maintains an automatic data processing system to collect and disseminate information on Equal Employment Opportunity compliance and enforcement activities; - Administers the Federal civil rights contractor program, requiring the establishment of an affirmative employment program and procedures for resolving complaints of discrimination filed by Federal contractor employees;
- Administers the agency's plan for enforcing civil rights laws in programs receiving financial assistance from the Department; and
- Prepares and disseminates reports to Energy Department officials, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Justice Department, and other interested agencies.
Questions? Get in touch at civilrights@hq.doe.gov or call us at (202) 586-2218.