[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 6, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 6CFR15.70]

[Page 74-75]
 
                       TITLE 6--HOMELAND SECURITY
 
   CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
 
PART 15_ENFORCEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY 
 
Sec.  15.70  Compliance procedures.

    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this 
section applies to all allegations of discrimination on the basis of 
disability in programs and activities conducted by the Department.
    (b) The Department shall process complaints alleging violations of 
section 504 with respect to employment according to the procedures 
established by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 29 CFR 
part 1614.
    (c) All other complaints alleging violations of section 504 may be 
sent to the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Department of 
Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528. The Officer for Civil Rights 
and Civil Liberties shall be responsible for coordinating implementation 
of this section.
    (d)(1) Any person who believes that he or she has been subjected to 
discrimination prohibited by this part may by him or herself, or by his 
or her authorized representative, file a complaint. Any person who 
believes that any specific class of persons has been subjected to 
discrimination prohibited by this part and who is a member of that class 
or the authorized representative of a member of that class may file a 
complaint.
    (2) The Department shall accept and investigate all complete 
complaints over which it has jurisdiction.
    (3) All complete complaints must be filed within 180 days of the 
alleged act of discrimination. The Department may extend this time 
period for good cause.
    (e) If the Department receives a complaint over which it does not 
have jurisdiction, it shall promptly notify the complainant and shall 
make reasonable efforts to refer the complaint to the appropriate entity 
of the Federal government.
    (f) The Department shall notify the Architectural and Transportation 
Barriers Compliance Board upon receipt of any complaint alleging that a 
building or facility that is subject to the Architectural Barriers Act 
of 1968, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4151-4157), is not readily accessible to 
and usable by individuals with disabilities.
    (g)(1) Not later than 180 days from the receipt of a complete 
complaint over which it has jurisdiction, the Department shall notify 
the complainant of the results of the investigation in a letter 
containing:
    (i) Findings of fact and conclusions of law;
    (ii) A description of a remedy for each violation found; and
    (iii) A notice of the right to appeal.
    (2) Department employees are required to cooperate in the 
investigation and attempted resolution of complaints. Employees who are 
required to participate in any investigation under this section shall do 
so as part of their official duties and during the course of regular 
duty hours.
    (3) If a complaint is resolved informally, the terms of the 
agreement shall be reduced to writing and made part of the complaint 
file, with a copy of the agreement provided to the complainant. The 
written agreement shall describe the subject matter of the complaint and 
any corrective action to which the parties have agreed.
    (h) Appeals of the findings of fact and conclusions of law or 
remedies must be filed by the complainant not later than 60 days after 
receipt from the Department of the letter required by paragraph (g)(1) 
of this section. The Department may extend this time for good cause.
    (i) Timely appeals shall be accepted and processed by the Officer 
for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, or designee thereof, who will 
issue the final agency decision which may include appropriate corrective 
action to be taken by the Department.
    (j) The Department shall notify the complainant of the results of 
the appeal within 30 days of the receipt of the appeal. If the 
Department determines that it needs additional information

[[Page 75]]

from the complainant, it shall have 30 days from the date it received 
the additional information to make its determination on the appeal.
    (k) The time limits cited in paragraphs (g) and (j) of this section 
may be extended for an individual case when the Officer for Civil Rights 
and Civil Liberties determines that there is good cause, based on the 
particular circumstances of that case, for the extension.
    (l) The Department may delegate its authority for conducting 
complaint investigations to other Federal agencies and may contract with 
nongovernment investigators to perform the investigation, but the 
authority for making the final determination may not be delegated to 
another agency.