You know discrimination happened. The question isn't whether it was wrong. The question is: what do you do about it, who do you tell, and what happens after you file?

The answer depends on where the discrimination occurred. Employment, education, housing, and public access each have different agencies, different deadlines, and different processes. This is the roadmap.

Which Agency Handles Your Complaint

The agency you file with depends on the context in which discrimination occurred. Think of it as: whose job is it to listen to you?

Employment discrimination goes to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). This includes being denied a job, fired, demoted, or denied reasonable accommodations at work.

Education discrimination goes to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education. This includes Section 504 violations, denial of services, refusal to evaluate for an IEP, and accessibility barriers in schools.

Housing discrimination goes to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This includes being denied housing, facing different lease terms, or being refused reasonable modifications to make housing accessible.

Public access discrimination in stores, restaurants, government buildings, and websites goes to the Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division. This is where ADA Title II and Title III complaints are filed.

If you're not sure which category fits, start with the agency that seems closest. They can redirect you if another office has jurisdiction.

Filing Deadlines You Cannot Miss

Every agency has a statute of limitations. Miss the deadline and your complaint cannot be investigated, no matter how clear the violation.

EEOC (employment): 180 days from the date of discrimination. If your state has its own anti-discrimination agency with jurisdiction, you may have 300 days. File as soon as possible.

OCR (education): 180 days from the date of discrimination. OCR may waive this for good cause, but do not count on it.

HUD (housing): One year from the date of discrimination. This is the longest window, but the same rule applies: file early.

DOJ (public access): No fixed deadline for administrative complaints, but if you intend to file a lawsuit under the ADA, you must do so within 180 days of the violation in most jurisdictions. File your administrative complaint promptly to preserve your options.

The clock starts when the discriminatory act occurred, not when you decided to complain. If you're close to the deadline, file even if your documentation is incomplete. You can add details later.

What to Include in Your Complaint

You do not need a lawyer to file an administrative complaint. The agencies accept complaints directly from individuals.

Every complaint should include:

• Your contact information: name, address, phone, and email
• The name and address of the person, business, or institution that discriminated against you
• A description of what happened, including dates, locations, and the names of people involved
• Why you believe the discrimination was based on your disability
• Your signature and the date

Be as specific as you can. "I was denied a reasonable accommodation" is less useful than "On March 5, 2026, I requested a modified work schedule to accommodate medical appointments related to my epilepsy. My supervisor, John Smith, denied the request without discussing alternatives or explaining why it would cause undue hardship."

If you have supporting documents like emails, medical records, performance reviews, or denial letters, include copies. Do not send originals.

Each agency has its own complaint form:

• EEOC: File online at eeoc.gov or in person at a local EEOC office.
• OCR: File online at civilrights.ed.gov.
• HUD: File online at hud.gov, by phone at 1-800-669-9777, or by mail.
• DOJ: File online at ada.gov/file-a-complaint.

What Happens After You File

Filing a complaint triggers an investigation. You are not required to prove your case at this stage. The agency reviews the facts and determines whether there is enough evidence to proceed.

Here is what to expect at each agency:

EEOC (Employment)

After you file, the EEOC will send a copy of your charge to your employer. The employer has the opportunity to respond.

The EEOC may offer mediation, a voluntary process where both parties meet with a neutral mediator to try to resolve the dispute. If mediation succeeds, the case closes. If mediation fails or is declined, the investigation continues.

If the EEOC finds evidence of discrimination, it will attempt conciliation, a settlement negotiation between you and the employer. If conciliation fails, the EEOC may file a lawsuit on your behalf (rare) or issue you a Right to Sue letter, which allows you to file your own lawsuit in federal court.

If the EEOC finds no evidence of discrimination, it will issue a Dismissal and Notice of Rights, which also gives you the right to sue.

Timeline: The average EEOC investigation takes 18 months. You can request a Right to Sue letter at any point after 180 days if you want to proceed to court without waiting for the investigation to finish.

OCR (Education)

OCR will notify the school or district that a complaint has been filed. The school must respond with relevant documents and a written statement.

If OCR finds enough evidence to proceed, it will negotiate a resolution agreement with the school. This agreement outlines corrective actions the school must take. If the school refuses to cooperate, OCR can initiate administrative enforcement proceedings or refer the case to the DOJ.

If OCR finds insufficient evidence, it will close the case and explain why in a letter.

Timeline: OCR aims to complete investigations within 180 days, though complex cases may take longer.

HUD (Housing)

HUD will notify the landlord, seller, or housing provider that a complaint has been filed. The respondent has the opportunity to answer.

HUD may offer conciliation to resolve the complaint without a formal investigation. If conciliation succeeds, the case closes. If not, HUD conducts a full investigation.

If HUD finds reasonable cause to believe discrimination occurred, the case is referred to an administrative law judge or the U.S. Department of Justice for enforcement. If no cause is found, the case is dismissed.

Timeline: HUD aims to complete investigations within 100 days.

DOJ (Public Access)

DOJ does not always open an investigation for every complaint. It reviews complaints to identify patterns of discrimination or cases that raise significant civil rights issues.

If DOJ opens an investigation, it will contact the business or entity and request documentation. DOJ may negotiate a settlement or file a lawsuit to enforce the ADA.

If DOJ declines to investigate, you still have the option to file a private lawsuit under the ADA.

Timeline: Varies. DOJ does not provide specific timelines for complaint resolution.

Retaliation Is Illegal

Federal law prohibits retaliation for filing a discrimination complaint. Your employer cannot fire you, demote you, or take any adverse action against you because you filed with the EEOC. Schools cannot punish a student or parent for filing with OCR. Landlords cannot evict tenants for filing with HUD.

If retaliation occurs, file a separate complaint describing the retaliatory action. Retaliation claims are often easier to prove than the underlying discrimination claim because the temporal connection between the complaint and the adverse action can be very strong evidence.

What Filing Does Not Do

Filing a complaint does not guarantee a specific outcome. The agency investigates. It does not decide your case the way a court would.

If the agency finds no evidence of discrimination, that does not mean discrimination did not occur. It means the agency could not substantiate the claim with the evidence available. You still have the option to file a lawsuit.

If the agency finds evidence and negotiates a settlement, the settlement may not include everything you wanted. Remedies vary. Some cases result in policy changes. Some result in compensation. Some result in training requirements or monitoring agreements.

Filing a complaint is not the end of the process. It is the first step in a system designed to investigate, mediate, and when necessary, enforce civil rights laws.

Getting Help

You do not need a lawyer to file an administrative complaint, but legal advice can help you understand your options and what to expect.

State Protection and Advocacy (P&A) agencies provide free legal assistance to people with disabilities. Find your state's P&A agency at ndrn.org.

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) offers resources and referrals at dredf.org.

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) provides guidance on workplace accommodations and the interactive process at askjan.org.

You can also consult a private attorney who specializes in disability rights or employment law. Many offer free consultations.

Moving Forward

Filing a complaint is not a failure to resolve the issue on your own. It is using the system that exists to address civil rights violations.

You are not required to accept discrimination. The agencies listed here exist because the law recognizes that discrimination happens and that people need a process to challenge it.

The complaint is not the resolution. It is the beginning of the investigation. What happens after depends on the evidence, the agency, and whether the other party is willing to make things right. But you cannot get to any of that without filing.