Discrimination Complaint Form

The new Dynamic Form replaces the Employee Discrimination Complaint Form in use for many years. It clarifies and expands the information that a complainant provides to the EEO Office for initial analysis, so that we can better serve our constituents in providing appropriate due process and ensure timely resolution of concerns.

Employees are encouraged to contact the Senior Administrative Specialist with the EEO Office (michelle.crowley@domail.maricopa.edu) to schedule an appointment with the EEO Director. All such inquiries will be kept in strict confidence.

Contact the EEO Office Senior Administrative Specialist (michelle.crowley@domail.maricopa.edu; 480-731-8848) , who can obtain the information needed to initiate the Dynamic Form.

The EEO Office has jurisdiction to review complaints filed within 300 days from the date of the alleged incident (or most recent incident) upon which the complaint is based. Even if the matter is declined for investigation by the EEO Office, the matter may be referred to the appropriate Human Resources department to pursue employee relations solutions to the issues raised.

If your complaint is against your supervisor or a coworker, they will be notified of the complaint and provided a summary of the allegations. Although filing a formal complaint requires that your name be disclosed to the respondent and anonymity cannot be guaranteed, every respondent is given a clear admonition that retaliation is prohibited and directed not to engage in any behavior that may be perceived as retaliatory, or risk progressive discipline up to and including termination.

If neither your supervisor nor a coworker is the respondent to your complaint, they will only be notified of your complaint if they are identified by the investigator as a witness to be interviewed or from whom documentation will be requested.

Generally within 1-2 business days after receipt of your complaint, the EEO Office will contact you to schedule a formal investigation interview. 

You can expect every EEO investigation to contain the following three phases on the approximate timeline indicated:

a)  Intake (weeks 1-2): Filing of complaint, initial interview(s) of complainant, and initial determination by EEO Office of whether the matter will proceed to a full administrative investigation or be referred to Human Resources for resolution.

b) Investigation (weeks 3-7): Notice of charge is sent to the respondent, containing a summary of the allegations and an opportunity to respond in writing. The respondent submits a response if they elect to do so. The EEO investigator identifies likely witnesses based on the complainant interview(s), the respondent’s response if any, and the documentation submitted by the parties. The investigator interviews all witnesses and the respondent and obtains follow-up documentation and conducts any additional interviews needed in the investigator’s judgment. 

c) Reporting out, and closure (weeks 8-10): Analyzing the facts and policies, and conducting any further due diligence as to any gaps in information, the EEO investigator writes a report of findings, which states whether the factual allegations are more likely than not true, applies those factual findings to MCCCD’s policies against discrimination and retaliation, and determines whether EEO policies were violated. The report of findings is issued to the complainant, respondent, and the vice chancellor/college president who oversees the respondent’s work division, with a copy to the appropriate Human Resources department for follow-up and facilitation of employee relations issues resulting from the investigation’s outcome.

Filing a formal discrimination complaint is a serious personal decision. Activities in pursuit of an EEO complaint, or in responding to a complaint, should not interfere with the individual’s MCCCD work or be undertaken contrary to MCCCD’s Technology Resource Standards (Admin. Reg. 4.4). Issues regarding use of work time should be directed to your supervisor and will depend on your employment category/classification and the needs of your work unit. Individuals, such as witnesses, whose cooperation is required in an investigation can expect their participation to be during the regular work day and compensated as regular work time, but not as overtime or a special assignment.

The EEO Office will provide periodic updates on the general status and expected completion timeline for an investigation, and if circumstances may impact the expected completion date. An investigation will generally be completed 60 to 90 days after the date the complaint was formally filed, absent extraordinary circumstances that will be communicated to the parties when needed. Due to the confidential nature of all investigations, the nature of any updates provided to the parties will be limited to issues of timing and, if applicable, changes to the scope of factual matters under review based on the investigative process.

MCCCD strictly prohibits retaliation against anyone who files an EEO complaint or participates as a party or witness in an EEO investigation. All participants are warned of this prohibition and that any actions reasonably perceived as retaliation may subject the actor to disciplinary action up to and including termination.