Page 24

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES INTRODUCTION

10/24 VOLUME V, PART I, PAGE 5

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Director, Office of Civil Rights

1400 Independence Avenue SW

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410

State and local social services departments must accept all written or verbal discrimination complaints, log the complaints, and forward them within five business days to the Department of Agriculture and to the Virginia Department of Social Services.

Civil Rights/EEO Director USDA - Mid-Atlantic Region 300 Corporate Boulevard Robbinsville, NJ 08691-1598 Telephone – (609) 259-5123

Civil Rights Program Administrator Virginia Department of Social Services 5600 Cox Road Glen Allen, VA 23060

If the individual making the complaint does not put the complaint in writing, the person receiving the complaint must do so. Complaints must be accepted even if the information specified below is not complete. Advise the complainant of the program’s restrictions on disclosure of information. A complaint must be filed no later than 180 days from the date of the alleged discrimination. Whenever possible, the complaint should include the following:

a. Name, address, and telephone number or other means of contacting the person alleging discrimination.

b. The location and name of the organization or office that is accused of discriminatory practices.

c. The nature of the incident, action, or the aspect of program administration that led the person to allege discrimination.

d. The basis for the alleged discrimination (age, sex, race, religion, color, disability, national origin, or political belief).

e. The names, addresses, telephone numbers, and titles of persons who may have knowledge of the alleged discriminatory acts.

f. The date or dates on which the alleged discriminatory actions occurred or, if continuing, the duration of the actions.

2. Public Notification - Requirements for displaying a nondiscrimination poster are addressed in Part I.I.

TRANSMITTAL #35