FAQ & Resources | Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department

How can the department enforce my civil rights?

Our cases must meet the following criteria:

Occurred within the City of Los Angeles.
Occurred within three years of the intake form submission date.
Must be in the private sector (commerce, education, employment, and housing).
Must pertain to one of the protected classes (eg. race, gender, religion etc.). Learn more about protected classes here.

LA Civil Rights does not have the authority to investigate complaints against public entities including other city departments. Additionally, under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), the State has authority over certain protected classes in housing and employment.

What should I know before submitting a complaint?

Contact: Once we receive your complaint, someone from our office will reach out to you to discuss the case.

Confidentiality: Confidentiality will be kept to the extent permitted by law.

Retaliation Prohibited: Retaliation against any person for exercising rights protected by the City of Los Angeles’ Civil Rights Law is prohibited.

Other Remedies Not Affected: Filing a discrimination complaint with LA Civil Rights does not prevent any person from seeking other criminal, civil, or other remedies established by law.

Criminal Penalties: Any person who willfully resists, obstructs, or interferes with the enforcement authority of this Department, or the Hearing Officer in the performance of any duty under this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 and by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period of not more than six months.

Language & Accessibility Services

If you need translation services or are experiencing any difficulty accessing our information, or would like to request our documents in an accessible alternative format, please send us an email at cre@lacity.org.

OUR ENFORECEMENT AREAS: PROTECTED CLASSES

LA Civil Rights has the authority to take civil rights cases for the following protected classes in each private sector area:

Commerce

Race
Color
Ethnicity
Creed
Age
National Origin
Religion
Citizenship Status
Gender
Gender Identity
Gender Expression
Sexual Orientation
Disability
Medical Condition
Genetic Information
Marital Status
Partnership
Status
Employment
Status
Source of Income
Military Status
Veteran Status
Primary Language

Education

Race
Color
Ethnicity
Creed
Age
National Origin
Religion
Citizen Status
Gender
Gender Identity
Gender Expression
Sexual Orientation
Disability
Medical Condition
Genetic Information
Marital Status
Partnership Status
Employment Status
Source of Income
Military Status
Veteran Status
Primary Language

Employment

Employment Status
Primary Language
Source of Income

Housing

Citizenship Status
Employment Status
Primary Language

CIVIL RIGHTS RESOURCES

State and Federal Agencies

California Civil Rights Department: The California Civil Rights Department, formerly the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), is the state agency charged with enforcing California’s civil rights laws. The mission of Cal Civil Rights is to protect the people of California from unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, businesses, and state-funded programs, and from bias-motivated violence and human trafficking. Learn more here.

United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: 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 the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, transgender status, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. Click here to find contact information for the Los Angeles EEOC Office.

United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division: The Federal DOJ Civil Rights Division enforces federal laws that protect you from discrimination based on your race, color, national origin, disability status, sex, religion, familial status, or loss of other constitutional rights. Learn more here.

United States Department of Education Office of Civil Rights: The Office for 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. It is the mission of the Office for Civil Rights to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation through vigorous enforcement of civil rights. Learn more here.

United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights: The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights enforces laws against discrimination based on race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, and religion by certain health care and human services providers and health insurance plans. Learn more here.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life including jobs, schools, transportation and all public and private places open to the general public. Click here to find local support from the City of Los Angeles Department on Disability. Click here to Service Animals FAQ.

State of California Office of the Attorney General

Housing