Get Dfeh 185

The EEOC is the Equal Employment Opportunity Council. DFEH is the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. The EEO is a federal agency while DFEH is a state agency. Both agencies administer and enforce discrimination laws against employers.

Independent contractors and volunteers: If you believe you have been harassed, you may file a complaint with DFEH. Complaints must be filed within one year of the last act of discrimination/harassment or, for victims who are under the age of 18, not later than one year after the victim's eighteenth birthday.

Compensatory damages pay victims for out-of-pocket expenses caused by the discrimination (such as costs associated with a job search or medical expenses) and compensate them for any emotional harm suffered (such as mental anguish, inconvenience, or loss of enjoyment of life).

Jurisdiction: The EEOC enforces federal laws related to workplace discrimination throughout the United States. In contrast, the DFEH, a California state agency, is focused solely on activities within California and enforcing the state's specific anti-discrimination laws.

EEOC only accepts complaints if the employer has 15 or more employees. DFEH accepts complaints if the employer has 5 or more employees. If the employer has 15 or more employees, you can file with either EEOC or DFEH. If employer has fewer than 15 (but at least 5) employees, you should file with the DFEH.

In other words, EEO forbids employment discrimination. It requires the elimination of any bias in personnel activities. Affirmative action is a set of specific, results-oriented programs and activities designed to correct underutilization of minorities and women in the workplace.

No matter which agency you file your complaint with, it will automatically be dual-filed with the other agency. In some cases, your DFEH complaint may be investigated by the EEOC, or your EEOC complaint may be investigated by the DFEH.