Vermont doesn’t have any EEOC offices within the state. The nearest Area or Field Office is in Boston, MA, Buffalo, NY or Newark, NJ. The District Office is in New York City. 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 Vermont, this would be the Vermont Attorney General's Office - Public Protection Division Civil Rights Unit which has an office in Montpelier.
Vermont law protects employees from discrimination at work because 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 Vermont. If you work in a smaller workplace (fewer than 15 employees) Vermont’s Public Protection Division Civil Rights Unit imposes a 365 day limit from the date of the discriminatory act to file a claim of discrimination.
EEOC Office Information in Vermont
There are no EEOC field offices located anywhere in Vermont. The nearest area offices are in Buffalo, NY, Boston, MA or Newark, NJ. The EEOC District Office is in New York.
Location of EEOC’s Boston Area Office
JFK Federal Building
- 15 New Sudbury Street, Room 475
- Boston, MA 02203-0506
- Phone: 1-800-669-4000
- Fax: 617-565-3196
- TTY: 1-800-669-6820
- ASL Video Phone: 844-234-5122
- Director: Feng K. An
- Regional Attorney: Jeffrey Burstein
- Office Hours: 8.30 – 5 p.m. Monday to Friday for telephone contact only.
Location of EEOC’s Buffalo Local Office
Olympic Towers
- 300 Pearl Street, Suite 450
- Buffalo, NY 14202
- Phone: 1-800-669-4000
- Fax: 716-551-4387
- TTY: 1-800-669-6820
- ASL Video Phone: 844-234-5122
- Director: Maureen Kielt
- Regional Attorney: Jeffrey Burstein
- Office Hours: 8.30 – 5 p.m. Monday to Friday for telephone contact only.
Location of EEOC’s Newark Area Office
Two Gateway Center
- 283-299 Market Street
- Suite 1703
- Newark, NJ 07102
- Phone: 1-800-669-4000
- Fax: 973-645-4524
- TTY: 1-800-669-6820
- ASL Video Phone: 844-234-5122
- Director: John Waldinger
- Regional Attorney: Jeffrey Burstein
- Office Hours: 8.00 – 4.30 p.m. Monday to Friday for telephone contact only.
Location of the nearest EEOC District Office in New York
New York District Office
- 33 Whitehall Street, 5th Floor
- New York, NY 10004
- Phone: 1-800-669-4000
- Fax: 212-336-3790
- TTY: 1-800-669-6820
- ASL Video Phone: 844-234-5122
- Director: Judy Keenan
- Regional Attorney: Jeffrey Burstein
- Office Hours: 9 to 3p.m. for interviews arranged through the Public Portal. No in-office visits are possible at the moment because of Covid-19 restrictions.
State Employment Laws:
Vermont has similar laws to the federal government regarding discrimination at work. 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 Public Protection Division Civil Rights Unit. The procedure is similar to that used by the EEOC and in Vermont, the Civil Rights Unit may defer cases that it cannot deal with to the EEOC.
Conclusion:
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.
