Any person who believes to have been discriminated against on the basis of race, color, or national origin from the transportation service of DADD may file a Title VI complaint by completing and submitting the online Title VI Complaint Form, by picking up the complaint form or calling to receive a copy by mail. Completed complaint forms should be delivered to the administrative office at 612 Main Street, Delano, CA 93215. DADD investigates complaints received no more than 180 days after the alleged incident. DADD will only process complaints that are complete.
The following procedures will be followed to investigate formal Title VI complaints:
• Within 10 business days of receiving the complaint, the DADD Title VI Program Administrator Vaughn Harvey will review it to determine if our office has jurisdiction. The complainant will receive an acknowledgement letter informing her/him whether the complaint will be investigated by our office.
• The investigation will be conducted and completed within 30 days of the receipt of the formal complaint.
• If more information is needed to resolve the case, DADD may contact the complainant. The complainant has 10 business days from the date of the letter to send requested information to Mr. Harvey, Title VI Administrator investigator. If the investigator is not contacted by the complainant or does not receive the additional information within 10 business days, DADD may administratively close the case.
• The complainant will be notified in writing of the cause to any planned extension to the 30-day rule.
• A case can be administratively closed also if the complainant no longer wishes to pursue their case. Following the investigation, the Title VI Administrator will issue one of two letters to the complainant: 1) a closure letter or 2) a letter of finding (LOF). A closure letter summarizes the allegations and states that there was not a Title VI violation and that the case will be closed. A LOF summarizes the allegations and the interviews regarding the alleged incident, and explains whether any disciplinary action, additional training of the staff member, or other action will occur.
∙ If the complainant is unsatisfied with the decision, he/she has 30 days after the date of DADD’s closure letter or the LOF to appeal to the DADD Board of Directors or its designee. The complainant is entitled to review the denial, to present additional information and arguments, and to separation of functions (i.e. a decision by a person not involved with the initial decision to deny eligibility). The complainant is entitled to receive written notification of the decision of the appeal and the reasons for it.
∙ The complainant may also file a complaint directly with the Federal Transit Administration, as follows: Title VI Program Coordinator, FTA Office of Civil Rights, East Building, 5th Floor – TCR, 1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E., Washington, D.C. 20590