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Building Community Collaboration and Trust
Chesterfield, as part of the Greater Richmond region, committed to listening, discussing and sharing ideas that build community collaboration and trust and work toward solutions that overcome barriers and injustice for all. Part of that commitment is helping people to know their rights.
Federal and state laws protect individuals from discrimination or harassment based on sex, race, age, disability, color, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, marital status, status as a veteran and genetic information. Numerous institutions, many of which operate regionally in our area, carry a mission to educate people about the laws that protect them, advocate for people’s rights and legally challenge instances of discrimination. These resources provide needed information as we work together to recognize and break the many forms and cycles of discrimination.
Discrimination Resources
If you believe you have been discriminated against, please contact the agencies that are listed in each respective category. These national, state and regional resources are to be of assistance and specialize in areas of discrimination.
Age Discrimination
Age discrimination occurs when a person is treated differently and unfairly because of their age in the workplace, usually 40 years or older.
Advocacy Organizations
- AARP State Office
- Administration for Community Living
- Advocacy for LBGTQ Elders: SAGE
- Aging and Disability Networks
- American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia
- The National Center on Law and Elder Rights (NCLER)
Agencies
- Office of the State Long Term Care Ombudsman
- United States Senate Special Committee on Aging
- Virginia Board for People’s with Disabilities
- Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)
- Virginia Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired
- Virginia Department of Human Resource Management (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion)
Laws
Resources
- AARP Age Discrimination Fact Sheet
- Aging Planning and Legal Services or call 804-802-5910
- Center for Medicare Advocacy
- Fighting Fraud: Senate Aging Committee Identifies Top 10 Scams Targeting Our Nation’s Seniors
- Justice in Aging
- Long Term Care Ombudsman Program Info Graph
- National Consumer Voice for Quality in Long-Term Care
- Senior Connections: The Capital Area Agency on Aging Long Term Care Ombudsman
- United States Senate: Special Committee on Aging: Resources
- Virginia Dept. for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
- World Health Organization (WHO)
Credit Discrimination
A person can not be discriminated against in any aspect of a credit transaction on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex or marital status, age, or if you receive income from a public assistance program.
Agencies
- Federal Trade Commission
- FBI Richmond Field Office - Contact Information
- FBI Richmond Field Office - Civil Rights Investigations
Laws
Resources
Disability Discrimination
Disability discrimination is when you are treated unfairly or put at a disadvantage for a reason that relates to a person’s disability. The discrimination does not have to be intentional to be unlawful.
Advocacy Organizations
Agencies
- American Association of People with Disabilities
- American Civil Liberties Union
- American Council of the Blind
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- ARC of the United States
- Autistic Self-Advocacy Network
- Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
- Job Accommodation Network
- Mobility International USA
- National Association of the Deaf
- National Council on Disability
- National Disability Rights Network
- Virginia Board for People’s with Disabilities
- Virginia Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Laws
Resources
Education Discrimination
Education discrimination laws seek to prevent discrimination based on race, color, national origin, language, sex, religion and disabilities in schools and institutions of higher education.
Laws
- Age Discrimination Act of 1975
- Disability Discrimination
- Laws and Guidance
- Race and National Origin Discrimination
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
- Sex Discrimination
- Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
- Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
- Types of Educational Opportunities Discrimination
Resources
Employment Discrimination
Federal and state employment discrimination laws seek to prevent discrimination based on race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, marital status, status as a veteran, genetic information, and age by employers. Discriminatory practices include bias in hiring, promotion, job assignment, termination, compensation, retaliation, and various types of harassment.
Agencies
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
- Virginia Attorney General – Division of Human Rights
Laws
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting employees in the private sector and in federal, state, and local governments.
- Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA) of 1938
- Equal Pay Act of 1963
- Title VII of the Civil Right Act of 1964
- Age Discrimination and Employment Act of 1967
- Section 501 and 505 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
- The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978
- Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
- Virginia Human Rights Act
Required Federal and State Notices
Federal Notices
- Job Safety and Health – It’s the Law! (PDF)
-Spanish Version (PDF) - Davis-Bacon Act and the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Acts: Notice to all Employees Working on Federal or Federally Financed Construction Projects (WH Publication 1321) (PDF)
-Spanish Version (PDF) - Equal Employment Opportunity: Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law (GPO:920-752) (Contains English and Spanish versions of both the poster and supplement)
-English Version (PDF) with HR contact information
-Spanish Version (PDF) with HR contact information - Fair Labor Standard Act: Your Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (WH Publication 1088) (PDF)
-Spanish Version (PDF) - Family and Medical Leave Act: Your Rights Under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (PDF)
-Spanish Version (PDF) - Polygraph Protection Act (September 1988) (PDF)
-Spanish Version (PDF) - Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act or McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act: Notice to Employees Working on Government Contracts (WH Publication 1313) (PDF)
-Spanish Version (PDF) - Employee Rights for Workers with Disabilities/Special Minimum Wage Poster (PDF)
-Spanish Version (PDF) - Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (PDF)
- E-Verify posters (PDF)
-Spanish Version (PDF)
State Posters
- Seizure First Aid (PDF)
- Reasonable Accommodations for Pregnancy (PDF)
- Occupational Safety and Health: Job Safety and Health Protection Poster (PDF)
-Spanish Version (PDF) - Virginia Unemployment Compensation Act (UC) (PDF)
-Spanish Version (PDF) - Workers Compensation Insurance: Workers’ Compensation Notice (VWC1) (PDF)
-Spanish Version (PDF) - Employer Earned Income Tax Credit Poster (PDF) (Contains English and Spanish Versions
- Employer Virginia Credit for Low-Income Individuals Poster (PDF)
Housing Discrimination
Housing related transactions are considered, renting, buying, selling, obtaining a mortgage or purchasing homeowner’s insurance. Federal and state laws protect individuals to ensure that everyone has equal rights and equal access to housing.
Advocacy Organizations
Agencies
- Better Business Bureau
- Better Housing Coalition
- Central Virginia Legal Aid Society
- The Equal Rights Center
- Habitat for Humanity
- Homeward
- Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME)
- Maggie Walker Community Land Trust
- Partnership for Housing Affordability
- Project Homes
- Rebuild Together
- Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- Virginia Housing
- Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA)
- Virginia Legal Aid
- Virginia Mortgage Relief
Housing Assistance and Resources (Chesterfield and Colonial Heights)
- Housing Assistance (Department of Social Services)
- Housing Resources and Home Repair (Community Enhancement)
Housing Discrimination Offices
Resources
Legal Counsel
These legal resources are provided to learn or request further information on laws regarding discrimination.
Agencies
- Central Virginia Legal Aid Society
- disAbility Law Center of Virginia
- National Consumer Law Center
- The National Center on Law and Elder Rights (NCLER)
Civil Rights and Education
- Learn Your Rights: A Guide for Youth in Foster Care
- USDOE Office of Civil Rights
- VDOE State Special Education Complaint System
General Civil Rights
Other Resources
Pro Bono Law Links
Public Accommodation Discrimination
A public accommodation is a place that offers goods and services to the general public such as a restaurant that is open to the public. Federal and state laws protect designated groups from discrimination in places of public accommodations, based on the premise that everyone is entitled to enjoy the goods and services of the public accommodation on an equal basis.
Agencies
- Office of the Attorney General of Virginia - Division of Human Rights
- The disAbility Law Center of Virginia (dLCV)
- U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
Laws
Refugee Resources
Agencies
State and Federal Offices
- Virginia Department of Social Services
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- Welcome U.S. - Sponsor a Ukrainian Family
Local Resettlement Agencies
Local Immigration Legal Services
Resources
Adult Education Classes (ESL and Citizenship)
- Chesterfield County Adult Continuing Education
- Sacred Heart Center
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services – Citizenship Multilingual Resources
Local Non-profits Serving and Connecting Multicultural Community
Voting Discrimination
Voting is a right of the people; laws are in place to ensure that no matter race or language barrier, everyone’s vote is equal.
Laws
- 15th Amendment
- Code of Virginia Title 24.2
- Constitution and Virginia Code
- Constitution of Virginia, Articles II, IV, V, and VII
- Voting and Election Laws
- Voting Rights Act
- Who Can Vote?
Resources
Additional Diversity and Inclusion Resources
Several national, state and local organizations provide awareness about civil rights and disabilities and offer advocacy to those who believe they have been discriminated against. These links are inclusive for additional information or involvement.
Civil Rights Organizations
- Alliance for Justice
- American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
- American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice
- Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
- Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance
- Civil Rights Center
- Council on American-Islamic Relations
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Lambda Legal
- Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights
- Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
- NAACP
- National LGBTQ Task Force
- National Organization of Women
- National Urban League
- National Women’s Law Center
- Native American Rights Funds
- Office of Civil Rights
- People for the American Way
- The Anti-Defamation League
- United States Department of Justice
- U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
- U.S. Department of Labor
Healthcare Resources
- Civil Rights
- Filing a Civil Rights Complaint
- Health Care and Protected Health Information
- Laws Enforced by the Office for Civil Rights (ORC)
- US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS)
State of Virginia Organizations
- Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)
- Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities
- Virginia Department of Deaf and Hard of Hearing
- Virginia Family Special Education Connection