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Filing an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Complaint

An individual must first seek Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) counseling if an individual - as an employee, applicant for employment, or former employee - believes s/he has been discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), age, disability, protected genetic information, or reprisal for EEO protected activity, and wishes to pursue the DHS EEO complaint process.  An individual wishing to initiate a discrimination complaint based on parental status must also first seek EEO counseling.  

You must contact an EEO counselor at the Department of Homeland Security component where the alleged discriminatory event occurred within 45 days from the date of the alleged discriminatory event, or the date you became aware of such discrimination. If you fail to contact an EEO counselor in this time frame, your complaint may be rejected as untimely.

Last Updated: 08/17/2022
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