29 CFR 35.31 – Complaints
(a) Who may file. Any person, whether individually, as a member of a class, or on behalf of others, may file a complaint with CRC alleging discrimination in violation of the Act or these regulations, based on an action occurring on or after July 1, 1979.
Terms Used In 29 CFR 35.31
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
(b) When to file. A complainant must file a complaint within 180 days from the date the complainant first had knowledge of the alleged act of discrimination. The Director may extend this time limit for good cause shown.
(c) Complaint procedure. A complaint is considered to be complete on the date CRC receives all the information necessary to process it, as provided in paragraph (c)(1) of this section. CRC will:
(1) Accept as a complete complaint any written statement that identifies the parties involved and the date the complainant first had knowledge of the alleged violation, describes generally the action or practice complained of, and is signed by the complainant;
(2) Freely permit a complainant to add information to the complaint to meet the requirements of a complete complaint;
(3) Notify the complainant and the recipient of their rights and obligations under the complaint procedure, including the right to have a representative at all stages of the complaint procedure; and
(4) Notify the complainant and the recipient (or their representatives) of their right to contact CRC for information and assistance regarding the complaint resolution process.
(d) No jurisdiction. CRC will return to the complainant any complaint outside the jurisdiction of this part, with a statement indicating why there is no jurisdiction.