South Dakota does not have an area EEOC office anywhere in the state. The nearest EEOC Area Office is in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There is another area office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The nearest District Office is in Chicago IL.
In-office visits are not permissible at the moment because of the pandemic, but either the area office or district office can still be contacted by phone or email for advice. An intake appointment can also still be scheduled through the online Public Portal and interviews made by telephone.
The Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) is a federal agency that oversees all federal anti-discrimination laws as they apply to employment. These laws include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). The EEOC investigates and acts on legitimate claims by employees who work for employers with 15 or more employees.
Employees who wish to make a complaint or file a claim but work in smaller workplaces may be able to use a state fair employment practices agency (FEPA). In South Dakota there are two FEPAs which regulate and enforce South Dakota’s fair employment laws.
The main FEPA is the South Dakota Division of Human Rights based in Pierre. South Dakota laws protect employees from discrimination at work. A complaint can be filed against an employer if discrimination is experienced in a similar way as can be done with the EEOC.
You have 300 days from the date an incident of discrimination took place to file a complaint with the EEOC in South Dakota. If you work in a smaller workplace (fewer than 15 employees) the South Dakota Division of Human Rights imposes a 180 day limit from the date of the discriminatory act to file a claim of discrimination.
EEOC Office Information in South Dakota
There is no EEOC area office in South Dakota. The nearest area office is in Minneapolis, MN. The EEOC District Office is in Chicago, IL.
Location of the EEOC’s Minneapolis Area Office
Towle Building
330 South Second Avenue, Suite 720
Minneapolis, MN 55401-2224
Phone: 612-552-7306
Fax: (612) 335-4066
TTY: 1-800-669-6820
ASL Video Phone: 844-234-5122
Director: Cherie A. Doak
Regional Attorney: Gregory M. Gochanour
Office Hours: 7.30 – 4 p.m. Monday to Friday for telephone contact only.
Location of the nearest EEOC District Office in Chicago
Chicago District Office
JCK Federal Building
230 S Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: (312) 872-9744
Fax: 312-588-1260
TTY: 1-866-740-3953
ASL Video Phone: 844-234-5122
Director: Julianne Bowman
Regional Attorney: Gregory M. Gochanour
Office Hours: 8.30 to 4p.m. for interviews arranged through the Public Portal. No in-office visits are possible at the moment because of Covid-19 restrictions.
South Dakota Employment Laws
South Dakota has similar laws to the federal government regarding discrimination at work except it does not have an age discrimination law. Discrimination at work because of an employee’s gender, sexual orientation, color, religion, ethnicity or disability is illegal.
Any type of sexual harassment at work, such as unsolicited emails, phone calls, physical contact, innuendo, etc., is regarded as a form of sex discrimination and is also illegal. Employees, especially those who work in smaller workplaces, can file a charge of discrimination with the South Dakota Division of Human Rights, a division of the state’s Department of Labor & Regulation. The procedure is similar to that used by the EEOC.
What to Do Next
It can be intimidating going through the process of filing a charge of discrimination against your employer. It can help to have an employment law attorney work with you through this process. The attorney knows the state and federal laws thoroughly and can help you prepare your case against your employer.
The EEOC, or state FEPA, will normally attempt to investigate the complaint. If the EEOC then decides you have grounds to file a lawsuit against your employer in a civil court, the attorney can help prepare a convincing case on your behalf.
