It is the policy of the federal government to provide equal employment opportunity for all persons and to prohibit discrimination in employment. Retaliation prohibited by the above statutes is also prohibited. Employees and applicants with an EEO complaint must first have their complaint counseled.
Counseling consists of an informal effort to resolve the complaint.
Only after a complaint is counseled may a formal complaint be filed. You must contact a counselor within 45 days of the matter alleged to be discriminatory. To obtain a counselor, please click onto Locations of EEO Offices. All complaints of discrimination are counseled in an attempt to find an informal resolution. If counseling does not produce a resolution, you will be given the opportunity to file a formal complaint.