Complaints
Complaints
The mission of the Alexandria Human Relations Commission is to promote unity, respect, and understanding; to eliminate discrimination against all individuals because of their race, age, sex, religion, disability, national origin, or sexual orientation.
The following information can help you to understand and identify some of the most common types of discrimination. By understanding these areas of concern, you can review your own practices to determine if they are appropriate. That consideration can help you avoid practicing discrimination in any of your actions.
Discrimination
Discrimination is strictly prohibited in the City of Alexandria. This means that citizens of Alexandria cannot be singled out or denied access to opportunities, including:
- Jobs and job opportunities (including, training, promotion, or transfers)
- Housing (including rental or purchase of properties)
- Loans
- Access to public facilities (restaurants or entertainment facilities)
- Public services (education, libraries, parks)
Types of Discrimination
Housing Discrimination
Anyone who engages in the transaction of buying or renting a residence is protected from discrimination within the housing sector based on race, color, national origin, religion, disability, and family status.
Americans with Disabilities
Disability discrimination is the denial of opportunities or unequal treatment based solely on disability and not on one’s actual skills or abilities.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment; unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance; or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.
Gender Harassment
Gender harassment exists when a person is treated unfairly because that person is male or female. Unlike sexual harassment, gender harassment takes place without any suggestion of sexual behavior. Both gender harassment and sexual harassment, although different in nature, are forms of sex discrimination that violate federal and state laws.
Pregnancy Discrimination
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act prohibits discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. These are forms of sex discrimination and are prohibited by law.
Religious Discrimination
It is unlawful to discriminate against individuals because of their religion, or non-religious belief in hiring, firing, and other terms and conditions of employment.
Options to Address Discrimination
Do you feel that you have been a victim of discrimination?
Let’s look at some of the options you have to address this situation.
Employer’s Internal Grievance Procedure
The employer’s system for addressing grievances, if any, is usually the most prompt method citizens can follow.
Informal Negotiation
Citizens may also personally communicate with the employer to seek resolution of a grievance through an alternative method of dispute resolution called negotiation. Be prepared with what you want addressed and present your grievance to the appropriate person within the company.
Government Agency
Various agencies provide investigation and resolutions of discrimination cases at no charge, regardless of whether it is determined that discrimination has actually occurred.
Agencies that provide such services include:
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
- Office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- Louisiana Commission on Human Rights
- Department of Justice
Mediation
An additional alternative method of dispute resolution is mediation. Through mediation, a neutral third party manages the negotiations between the parties in order to reach an agreement. The mediator does not tell the parties what to do. He/she helps each party decide the best solutions for themselves.
Reminder: This resource is provided as a tool for informational purposes only. AHRC is not responsible for the outcome of pursuing these additional options.
Resolving A Complaint
If you suspect that discrimination has occurred, contact the Alexandria Human Relations Commission via the voicemail box at 318.441.6076 and leave a message with contact information.
The Commission will review the situation and offer consultation, advice, and/or referral.
Please note: To the extent allowed by law, complaints shall be held in the strictest of confidence.
Filing A Complaint
Print the following form and complete it by including
- The name and address of the individual filing the complaint (Complainant)
- The name and address of the individual who committed the alleged violation (Respondent)
- Detailed description of the alleged violation
- Dates of the alleged violation
- The relief that the individual filing the complaint is seeking The reviewer will check details and conduct research to determine whether the allegations are true and substantiated with evidence.
The review procedure is a neutral and impartial process where the rights of the complainant and respondent are protected.
- The reviewer does not side with either party.
Commissioners will analyze all information obtained.
- This includes all information provided by the complainant as well as additional findings discovered through the research process of the reviewer.
The Commission will determine the merits of the complaint.
- Based on the evidence, the Commission will determine if there is or is not probable cause that discrimination occurred.
Conciliation
- If it is determined that discrimination has occurred, the process of conciliation, or bringing both sides together to reach a compromise, may begin.