Equal Employment Opportunity (Internal) Complaint Process

If you believe that you have been subjected to employment discrimination based on your race, color, religion, sex (including sexual harassment, pregnancy, gender stereotyping, gender identity and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 and older), disability (mental or physical), genetic information or reprisal (against individuals engaged in EEO activity, and those opposing discriminatory behavior), you may file a discrimination complaint with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), as follows:

Contact one the Agency’s EEO Counselors. Contact must be made within 45 calendar days of the alleged discriminatory event or within 45 calendar days of the effective date of a personnel action.

The EEO Counselor has 30 calendar days to attempt resolution of the alleged discriminatory event. During the informal complaint process, the EEO Counselor will advise you of your rights under the informal and formal EEO complaints process.

If the EEO Counselor is unable to resolve your allegation of discrimination, the EEO Counselor will conduct a final interview and issue you a “Notice of Right to File A Formal Discrimination Complaint”. The Notice contains instructions on how to file a formal complaint, where, and with whom to file the complaint.

Upon the NEA’s receipt of the formal complaint, the Agency will acknowledge, in writing, receipt of the complaint, the date the complaint was received; provide a complaint number; and make a procedural determination regarding acceptance of the complaint. If the complaint is accepted, an EEO investigator will be assigned to investigate the accepted issue(s).

Federal Agencies are required to make available to complainants Alternative Dispute Resolution during the informal (counseling) or formal complaints process. The NEA participates in the Shared Neutrals Program, a program for participating agencies which provides trained mediators to facilitate dispute resolution.

Please contact the Civil Rights Office at eeo@arts.gov if you have any questions.