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How to File a Civil Rights Complaint








  
  
    

  
      



Complaint Requirements

Your complaint must:

Be filed in writing by mail, fax, e-mail, or via the OCR Complaint Portal
	Name the health care or social service provider involved, and describe the acts or omissions, you believe violated civil rights laws or regulations
	Be filed within 180 days of when you knew that the act or omission complained of occurred. OCR may extend the 180-day period if you can show "good cause"File a Civil Rights Complaint Online

Open the OCR Complaint Portal and select the type of complaint you would like to file.
Complete as much information as possible, including:

Information about you, the complainant
	Details of the complaint
	Any additional information that might help OCR when reviewing your complaintYou will then need to electronically sign the complaint and complete the consent form. After completing the consent form you will be able to print out a copy of your complaint to keep for your records

File a Civil Rights Complaint in Writing

NOTE:  In accordance with the Office for Personnel Management's and CDC's guidelines on COVID 19, HHS personnel are teleworking.  OCR is committed to handling your complaint as quickly as possible.  However, for faster processing we strongly encourage you to use the OCR online portal to file complaints rather than filing via mail, as our personnel on site is limited.

**File a Complaint Using the Civil Rights Discrimination Complaint Form Package**

Open and fill out the Civil Rights Discrimination Complaint Form Package in PDF format. You will need Adobe Reader software to fill out the complaint and consent forms. You may either:

Print and mail the completed complaint and consent forms to:
	Centralized Case Management Operations
	U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
	200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
	Room 509F HHH Bldg.
	Washington, D.C. 20201
	Email the completed complaint and consent forms to OCRComplaint@hhs.gov (Please note that communication by unencrypted email presents a risk that personally identifiable information contained in such an email, may be intercepted by unauthorized third parties)**File a Complaint without the Civil Rights Discrimination Complaint Form Package**

If you prefer, you may submit a written complaint in your own format by either:

Mail to
	Centralized Case Management Operations
	U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
	200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
	Room 509F HHH Bldg.
	Washington, D.C. 20201
	Email to OCRComplaint@hhs.govBe sure to include:

Your name
	Full address
	Telephone numbers (include area code)
	E-mail address (if available)
	Name, full address and telephone number of the person, agency or organization you believe discriminated against you
	A brief description of what happened, including how, why, and when you believe your (or someone else's) civil rights were violated
	Any other relevant information
	Your signature and date of complaint
	The name of the person on whose behalf you are filing if you are filing a complaint for someone elseYou may also include:

Any special accommodations for us to communicate with you about this complaint
	Contact information for someone who can help us reach you if we cannot reach you directly
	If you have filed your complaint somewhere else and where you’ve filed
 

**If you mail a complaint, be sure to send it to:**

Centralized Case Management Operations
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Room 509F HHH Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20201

*You do not need to sign the complaint and consent forms when you submit them by email because submission by email represents your signature.*

**Language assistance services for OCR matters are available and provided free of charge. OCR services are accessible to persons with disabilities.**
                        Filing Complaints with Other Agencies        





If you have a complaint about housing, law enforcement, labor, education, or employment discrimination, OCR does not investigate these types of complaints. Find out where to get help

                    
  


Content created by Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Content last reviewed November 2, 2020Back to top
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