Frequently Asked Questions - Equal Employment Opportunity (Timelines)

• How many days following an incident of alleged discrimination does an aggrieved person have to contact the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity?
• At the time of an incident of alleged discrimination I was temporarily assigned to a remote site. It has been more than 45 days since the incident occurred. Are there any waivers for the filing period?
• How long does it take for an EEO Counselor to conduct the inquiry?
• What happens after I receive the EEO Final Counselor's report and the Notice of Rights?
• How long does an Investigator have to investigate my complaint?

How many days following an incident of alleged discrimination does an aggrieved person have to contact the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity?

An aggrieved person must contact the OEEO within 45 calendar days following an incident of alleged discrimination.

At the time of an incident of alleged discrimination I was temporarily assigned to a remote site. It has been more than 45 days since the incident occurred. Are there any waivers for the filing period?

It is possible that the OEEO may extend the 45 day time limit when individuals are prevented by circumstances beyond his or her control from contacting the office. These circumstances are decided on a case-by-case basis.

How long does it take for an EEO Counselor to conduct the inquiry?

When an employee contacts the OEEO to initiate a complaint, this commences the pre-complaint process. A counselor has 30 days to complete the pre-complaint inquiry and reach resolution. If the counselor foresees that the 30-day requirement will not be met, the aggrieved person may agree in writing to extend the counseling period to no more than 60 days. In addition, if an aggrieved person decides to use the Alternative Dispute Resolution process, the counseling period may be extended up to 90 days. The maximum timeframe for the Counseling/ADR processing period is 90 days.

What happens after I receive the EEO Final Counselor's report and the Notice of Rights?

An aggrieved person may choose to withdraw their complaint or he or she may file a formal complaint of discrimination. After receipt of the Notice of Rights to file a formal discrimination complaint, he or she must file within 15 calendar days.

How long does an Investigator have to investigate my complaint?

An investigator has 180 calendar days from the date of filing formal to complete the investigation.