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equal opportunity

It is against the law for the Benton-Franklin Workforce Development Council (WDC) as recipients of Federal financial assistance, to discriminate on the following bases: against any individual in the United States, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, sex stereotyping, transgender status, and gender identity), national origin (including limited English proficiency), age, disability, or political affiliation or belief, or, against any beneficiary of, applicant to, or participant in programs financially assisted under Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, on the basis of the individual's citizenship status or participation in any WIOA Title I financially assisted program or activity.

 

The Benton-Franklin WDC and its service providers must not discriminate in any of the following areas: deciding who will be admitted, or have access, to any WIOA Title I financially assisted program or activity; providing opportunities in, or treating any person with regard to, such a program or activity; or making employment decisions in the administration of, or in connection with, such a program or activity.

 

Recipients of federal financial assistance must take reasonable steps to ensure that communications with individuals with disabilities are as effective as communications with others. This means that, upon request and at no cost to the individual, recipients are required to provide appropriate auxiliary aids and services to qualified individuals with disabilities.

 

What to do if you believe you have experienced discrimination:
 If you think that you have been subjected to discrimination under a WIOA Title I financially assisted program or activity, you may file a complaint within 180 days from the date of the alleged violation with either:

 

Equal Opportunity Officer

Benton-Franklin WDC

509.734.5986
WA Relay Service 711

815 N Kellogg, Suite C

Kennewick, WA 99337

 

OR

Director, Civil Rights Center (CRC)

US Department of Labor

200 Constitution Avenue
NW Room N-4123

Washington, D.C. 20210

 

You may also file a complaint electronically as directed on the CRC website at www.dol.gov/crc.
If you file your complaint with the Benton-Franklin WDC, you must wait either until a written Notice of Final Action is issued or until 90 days have passed (whichever is sooner) before filing with the CRC (see address above). If Benton-Franklin WDC does not give you a written Notice of Final Action within 90 days of the day on which you filed your complaint, you may file a complaint with CRC before receiving that Notice. However, you must file your CRC complaint within 30 days of the 90-day deadline (in other words, you must file your CRC complaint within 120 days after the day on which you filed your complaint with Benton-Franklin WDC).

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If Benton-Franklin WDC does give you a written Notice of Final Action on your complaint, but you are dissatisfied with the decision or resolution, you may file a complaint with CRC. You must file your CRC complaint within 30 days of the date on which you received the Notice of Final Action.

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Equal Opportunity Posters:

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Accessibility While Using Microsoft

The attached document lists a series of videos that walk through how to use Microsoft products in the most accessible way. In the intro video, they call it “inclusive design,” and they have guidance for Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.  

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William J. Harris Equal Opportunity Award

The Washington State Employment Security Department Equal Opportunity Team received the prestigious William J. Harris Equal Opportunity Award, presented by the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) 2020 in Washington, D.C. This award recognizes our Local Workforce Development Area as part of a team for excellence and innovation in the area of equal opportunity and for all the collaborative efforts to identify and eliminate barriers for our customers.

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Congratulations Worksource Columbia Basin (WSCB) and TC Futures and thank you for the ongoing commitment to inclusion and dedication to serving our community. As Commissioner Suzi LeVine stated, “Together we will thrive”.

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