Complaints under the Non-Discrimination Ordinance must be filed with the County Attorney on the provided form within 30 days of an alleged discriminatory act. There is a $50 filing fee, which will be waived or reimbursed in most cases.
Complaints filed with the County Attorney will follow these steps:
- County Attorney processes the complaint
- If deemed incomplete, the petitioner has 15 days to refile.
- If not refiled or still incomplete, the complaint is dismissed.
- If deemed complete, a Complaint Examination Officer is appointed. The complaint is then sent to the business or business employee that is the subject of the complaint.
- The business or business employee has 20 days to file an optional answer to the complaint.
- If deemed incomplete, the petitioner has 15 days to refile.
- The complaint and any answer are sent to the complaint examination officer.
- The complaint is reviewed to determine if there are any grounds for dismissal.
- The review typically takes 30 days, but it may be extended up to an additional 30 days.
- If the complaint is not dismissed, the complaint examination officer will attempt to negotiate a voluntary resolution.
- If resolution is successful, the complaint is closed.
- If resolution is unsuccessful and the officer finds no reasonable grounds that the alleged conduct occurred, the complaint is dismissed.
- If resolution is unsuccessful and the officer finds reasonable grounds that the alleged conduct occurred, the complaint is returned to the County Attorney.
- If the complaint is returned to the County Attorney, it will go through the traditional code enforcement process and standard ordinance violation penalties will apply.