Discrimination, Harassment & Retaliation (DHR)
What is DHR?
Discrimination
Discrimination is often used to describe a situation where you have been treated unfairly or differently compared to other people. More specifically, discrimination refers to an adverse action against you that is based on your membership in a protected class, done by someone from or in the workplace or the educational setting. Adverse action means an action that has a substantial and material negative impact on someone’s ability to participate in a District program, activity, or employment. Actions or conduct not reasonably likely to do more than anger or upset someone does not constitute an adverse action under District regulations.
Harassment
Harassment is unwelcome verbal, visual, or physical conduct against someone that is of a sexual nature or on the basis of a protected class where the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a workplace or academic environment that would be intimidating, hostile, or offensive to a reasonable person.
Retaliation
Retaliation is adverse employment or education action taken against someone based primarily upon an individual’s participation in protected activity such as an investigation, proceeding, or lawsuit concerning prohibited conduct, discrimination or harassment as prohibited by state or federal law.
Protected Class
Protected class refers to a group of people with a common characteristic who are legally protected from employment and educational discrimination on the basis of that characteristic.
Protected classes include, but are not limited to:
- Accommodations
- Age (40 and older)
- Ancestry
- Color
- Dating Violence
- Ethnic Group Identification
- Gender Expression
- Gender Identity
- Intimate Partner Violence
- Medical Condition (Incl. cancer & related conditions/genetic characteristics)
- Mental Disability
- National Origin
- Perceived to be in protected category or associated with a member of a protected class
- Physical Disability
- Pregnancy/childbirth/breastfeeding/related medical condition
- Race
- Religion (Incl. religious dress/grooming practices/religious observances)
- Retaliation
- Sex/Gender
- Sexual Assault
- Sexual Harassment
- Sexual Misconduct
- Sexual Orientation
- Stalking
- Any subsequently-added class protected under Federal or State law
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
It is also against the law and LACCD policy to engage in sexual misconduct (including but not limited to sexual assault and sexual harassment) with a student, employee, or other individual associated with the District, on property owned or operated by the District, or involving a participant in a District-sponsored event.
DHR Policy and Procedures
The LACCD Prohibited Discrimination and Harassment Policy, which covers discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on a protected class is in Chapter XV of the Board Rules.
To file a DHR Complaint, you can contact the appropriate DHR Coordinator above or submit a Complaint Form online.
To address and respond to DHR issues, DHR Coordinators follow Administrative Regulation C-14 titled ‘Procedures for Prohibited Discrimination, Unlawful Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Complaints.’
Need Immediate Help?
If you have been a victim of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on a protected class, you have options on how you’d like to proceed. The most important factor is that you are safe and are not in imminent danger. If you believe you are in danger, call 911 or the Sheriff’s Station at your college location. If you need resources or want to discuss your rights and options, please contact your college’s DHR Coordinator.
Reporting to Law Enforcement
You have the right to file a report with law enforcement as well as the District. You can file a criminal complaint with the Sheriff’s Department at your College or local police department, depending on where the incident took place.
For crimes that occurred on a LACCD property, contact the Sheriff’s Department at your College location.
City
East
Harbor
Mission
Pierce
Southwest
Trade-Tech
Valley
West
For crimes that occurred off-campus, contact the local police department or call 911.
File a Complaint with an External Agency
Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH)
The Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) is the state agency charged with enforcing California’s civil rights laws. DFEH aims to protect the people of California from unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations.
To submit a complaint to DFEH, you can create an account and use their interactive online Cal Civil Rights System.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of their membership in a protected class.
You can submit a filing with the EEOC using the EEOC online portal.
Office of Civil Rights (OCR)
The Office of Civil Rights enforces several Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance from the Department of Education.
You can file a OCR civil rights complaint online.
The District makes no determination as to whether your concerns can be further reviewed by an external agency, and any questions you have regarding those processes should be directed to those agencies. You may contact those agencies directly by going to the appropriate website provided.
For additional resources and information, please contact your college’s Deputy Title IX Coordinator or visit our Resources page.
LACCD Employee Assistance Program
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available to all LACCD employees and provides free and confidential support and resources. You can also reach the EAP 24 hours a day by phone at 1-800-327-0449.
Off-campus
Los Angeles County Mental Health 24-hour assistance and resources for mental health support in Los Angeles county
1-800-854-7771
For additional resources and information, please contact your college’s DHR Coordinator or visit our Resources page.
Notice of Civil Rights
As relevant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Los Angeles Community College District operates its programs and services without regard to race, color, and national origin. Any person who believes she or he has been aggrieved by any unlawful discriminatory practice under Title VI as it relates to LACCD facilities or programs may file a complaint with LACCD.
For more information on LACCD’s civil rights program, and the procedures to file a complaint, call 213-891-2315, visit our administrative office at 770 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90017, or contact us at diversity-programs@email.laccd.edu.
A complainant may also file a complaint directly with the Federal Transit Administration by filing a complaint with Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Office of Civil Rights, Region IX, 201 Mission Street, Suite 1650, San Francisco, California 94105-1839.