Equal Opportunity

Equal Opportunity is the Law

As a recipient of federal financial assistance, the Northeast Iowa Workforce Partnership must provide the following notice that it does not discriminate on any prohibited ground.  Assuring equal opportunity in every program, service, and benefit is essential to fulfilling our mission.

This page contains Equal Opportunity Information for customers:

It is against the law for this recipient 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 recipient 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; 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.

Equal Opportunity Notice

Participants will engage in a comprehensive review of the Iowa Believes in Equal Opportunity Poster, gaining a thorough understanding of their rights. Upon entry into any WIOA program, participants will receive a printed description outlining their rights, ensuring clarity and transparency. To affirm their understanding, participants will sign an attestation form, acknowledging their review and comprehension of these rights which will be placed in participant files.

Complaint Process

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: The recipient’s Equal Opportunity Officer (or the person whom the recipient has designated for this purpose); or

The Director, Civil Rights Center (CRC)
U.S. Department of Labor
200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N-4123
Washington, DC 20210
or, electronically as directed on the CRC website at www.dol.gov/crc

If you file your complaint with the recipient, you must wait either until the recipient issues a written Notice of Final Action, or until 90 days have passed (whichever is sooner), before filing with the Civil Rights Center (see address above). If the recipient 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, within 120 days after the day on which you filed your complaint with the recipient). If the recipient 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.

Complaint Forms:

ETA Form 8429 is the Complaint/Referral Form used by the DOL. DL-2014 may be used for complaints of discrimination in Title I programs, ACJ partners, or state/local governments

All complaints against the Grantee, Administrative Entity, RWIB, CEO, subcontractor or sub grantee alleging a violation of the WIOA, regulations, grant or other agreement under WIOA and complaints arising from auditing, monitoring or investigations shall be filed with:

Northeast Iowa Workforce Development Equal Opportunity Officer
Erika Lippmann
Email: erika@northeastiawdb.org
Phone: 319-222-1239

Complaints must satisfy the following requirements:

• Complaints must be legible and signed by the complainant or the complainant's authorized representative.
• Complaints must pertain to a single subject, situation or set of facts and pertain to issues over which the region has authority.
• The name, address and phone number (or TDD number) must be clearly indicated. It the complainant is represented by an attorney or other representative of the complainant’s choice, the name, address and phone number of the representative must also be indicated on the complaint.
• Complaints must state the name of the party or parties complained against and, if known to the complainant, the address and phone number of the party of parties complained against.
• Complaints must contain a clear and concise statement of the facts, including pertinent dates, constituting the alleged violations.
• Complaints must cite the provisions of WIOA regulations, grant agreements, or other agreements under WIOA believed to have been violated, if applicable.
• Complaints must state the relief or remedial action(s) sought; and
• Copies of documents supporting or referred to in the complaint must be attached to the complaint.