DISCRIMINATION

Index of contents on this page:

• Summary of Discrimination
  • What is discrimination?
  • What areas are covered?
  • Your rights at the LACCD
• LACCD Discrimination Policy
• Summary LACCD Prohibited Discrimination and Harassment Policy
• LACCD Unlawful Discrimination Complaint Form
• What to do and who to contact

What is Discrimination?

The word discrimination is often used to describe a situation where you have been treated unfairly or differently compared to other people.

The LACCD, in accordance with applicable Federal and State laws and the District's Discrimination Policy, prohibits discrimination against any student, employee (faculty and staff), and applicant based on:

• Ancestry
• Age (40 & above)
• Color
• Disability
• Marital status
• Medical condition (cancer related)
• National origin
• Pregnancy
• Race
• Religion
• Creed
• Sex
• Sexual orientation
• Veteran status

It may also be a form of discrimination if someone is:

• Harassed on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or age.
• Retaliated against for filing a charge of discrimination, participating in an investigation, or opposing discriminatory practices.
• Refused employment or training opportunities because of decisions based on stereotypes or assumptions about the abilities, traits, or performance of individuals of a certain sex, race, age, religion, or ethnic group, or individuals with disabilities.
• Denied employment and educational opportunities because of marriage to, or association with, an individual of a particular race, religion, national origin, or an individual with a disability.

To determine if a particular situation is against the law you need to ask:

• Is it a type of discrimination covered by law and LACCD Discrimination Policy?
• Did it happen in a place or circumstance covered by the law and LACCD Discrimination Policy.

What areas are covered?

It is against the law and the LACCD policy to discriminate against students, employees and applicants in the following areas:

• Job advertisements
• Recruitment, applications, screenings, and interviews
• Hiring, transfer, promotion, layoff, or recall
• Compensation, assignment, or classification of employees
• Testing
• Use of the District's facilities
• Training and apprenticeship programs
• Fringe benefits
• Pay, retirement plans, and disability leave; or other terms and conditions of employment
• Admission, access, and treatment in all college and district programs and activities

Your rights at the LACCD

You have a right:

• To work and study in an atmosphere free of harassment and discrimination.
• To be judged by the same criteria as all others, not by standards that are less demanding, or more rigorous, or different in any way.
• To complain, free of retaliation.
• To be treated fairly and without prejudice whether you are making a complaint, are witnessed to a complaint, or are charged with a complaint.

If you believe you have been discriminated against you need to do something about it.

Doing something about discrimination means that you may solve the problem. This will makes things better for you and also for other people in the future.

Doing nothing means that the situation will stay the same or get worse.

Any individual who believes that his or her employment and/or educational rights have been violated may file a charge of discrimination.

It is the policy of the LACCD to provide an educational, employment and business environment free from all forms of discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, marital status, medical condition (cancer-related), sexual orientation, age, disability, and veteran status

All programs and activities of the LACCD shall be operated in a manner which is free of discrimination. Employees, students, or other persons acting on behalf of the District who engage in any form of discrimination as defined in this policy or by state or federal law shall be subject to discipline, up to and including discharge, expulsion, or termination of contract.

	Official LACCD Prohibited Discrimination and Harassment Policy Chapter XV of the Board Rules (link opens new browser window)
	Official Summary LACCD Prohibited Discrimination and Harassment Policy (link opens new browser window)

If you believe you have been discriminated against and would like to file a complaint you can download a copy of the LACCD complaint form and send it to the Compliance Officer at your college or send it to the District Office of Diversity Programs.

Official LACCD Unlawful Discrimination Complaint Form (link opens new browser window)

Before you can do anything you have to know who it is unlawfully discriminating against you. Is it an individual or a group of people, a co-worker, your instructor, a supervisor from another section?

Once you have worked out who is unlawfully discriminating against you, you then need to sort out how they are treating you badly.

What are they doing to you? Are they calling you names or ignoring you? Are you not being told things that you need to know to doing your job? Are you being denied training, or promotional opportunities?

Is what is happening to you happening to other people as well?

If you are being discriminated against ask for assistance.

If you are located at one of the colleges we encourage you to contact your College Compliance Office.

If you are located at the District Office contact the Office of Diversity Programs.