Texas has two EEOC Area Offices in San Antonio and El Paso. There are also 2 District Offices in the state. One is in Dallas; the other is in Houston. You should contact the nearest EEOC office to you.
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.
What is the EEOC?
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 Texas the main FEPA would be the Texas Workforce Commission, Civil Rights Division (TWC) which has an office in Austin. There are two other city based FEPAs.
One is in Fort Worth, the City of Fort Worth Human Relations Commission; the other is in Austin, the City of Austin Equal Employment/Fair Housing Office. Texas law protects employees from discrimination at work if they belong to a protected class. 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 Texas. If you work in a smaller workplace (fewer than 15 employees) Texas state law imposes a 180 day limit from the date of the discriminatory act to file a claim of discrimination.
EEOC Office Information in Texas
There are two EEOC area offices in Texas and two District offices.
Location of EEOC’s San Antonio Field Office
Legacy Oaks, Building A
5410 Fredericksburg Road
Suite 200
San Antonio, TX 78229
Phone: 1-800-669-4000
Fax: 210-281-2522
TTY: 512-974-2445
ASL Video Phone: 844-234-5122
Director: Travis Hicks
Regional Attorney: Robert Canino
Office Hours: 8.30 – 4.30 p.m. Monday to Friday for telephone contact only.
Location of EEOC’s El Paso Area Office
100 Stanton Towers
100 N. Stanton Street
Suite 600
El Paso, TX 79901-1433
Phone: 1-800-669-4000
Fax: 915-534-6701
ASL Video Phone: 844-234-5122
Director: Ligita D. Landry
Regional Attorney: Robert Canino
Office Hours: 8.30 – 4.30 p.m. Monday to Friday for telephone contact only.
Location of EEOC District Office in Dallas
207 S. Houston Street
3rd Floor
Dallas, TX 75202
Phone: 972-918-3580
Fax: 214-253-2720
TTY: 512-974-2445
ASL Video Phone: 844-234-5122
Director: Belinda McCallister
Regional Attorney: Robert Canino
Office Hours: 8.30 to 4.30p.m. for interviews arranged through the Public Portal. No in-office visits are possible at the moment because of Covid-19 restrictions.
Location of EEOC District Office in Houston
Mickey Leland Building
1919 Smith Street
6th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: 1-800-669-4000
Fax: 713-651-4987
TTY: 1-800-669-6820
ASL Video Phone: 844-234-5122
Director: Rayford O. Irvin
Regional Attorney: Rudy L. Sustaita
Office Hours: 8.30 to 4.30p.m. for interviews arranged through the Public Portal. No in-office visits are possible at the moment because of Covid-19 restrictions.
Texas Employment Laws
Texas has similar laws to the federal government regarding discrimination at work. Texas Labor Code Chapter 21 sets out state rules on discrimination. Discrimination at work because of an employee’s age, 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 Texas Workforce Commission, Civil Rights Division. The procedure is similar to that used by the EEOC.
Get Help With Your Claim
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 one of the state FEPAs, 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.
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