Virginia has two EEOC Local Offices, which are in Norfolk and Richmond. In office visits are not allowed 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 arranged through the online Public Portal and interviews can be made by telephone.
The Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) is a federal agency that administers all federal anti-discrimination laws as they apply to employment.
These laws are 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 valid claims by employees who work for employers with 15 or more employees.
Employees who would like to submit a complaint or file a claim but work in smaller workplaces might be able to use a state fair employment practices agency (FEPA).
In Virginia this would be the Virginia Office of Civil Rights which has an office on North Nine Street in Richmond.
Virginia 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 180 days from the date an incident of discrimination occurred to file a complaint with the EEOC in the state of Virginia. If you work in a smaller workplace (fewer than 15 employees) the Virginia Office of Civil Rights has in force a similar 300 day limit from the date of the discriminatory act to file a claim of discrimination.
EEOC Office Information in Virginia
There are two EEOC local offices in Virginia. One is in Norfolk and the other is in Richmond.
Location of EEOC’s Norfolk Local Office
- Federal Building
- 200 Granby Street Suite 739
- Norfolk, VA 23510
- Phone: 1-800-669-4000
- Fax: 757-441-6720
- TTY: 1-800-669-6820
- ASL Video Phone: 844-234-5122
- Director: Norberto Rosa-Ramos
- Regional Attorney: Melinda Dugas
Office Hours: 8.30 – 5 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 8.30-noon on Friday for telephone contact only.
Location of EEOC’s Richmond Local Office
- 400 N. Eight Street Suite 350
- Richmond, VA 23219
- Phone: 1-800-669-4000
- Fax: 804-771-2224
- TTY: 1-800-669-6820
- ASL Video Phone: 844-234-5122
- Director: Daron Calhoun
- Regional Attorney: Melinda Dugas
- Office Hours: 8.30 – 5 p.m. Monday to Friday for telephone contact only.
Virginia's Employment Laws
Virginia 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, like 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 Virginia’s Office of Civil Rights. The process is similar to that used by the EEOC.
What to Do Next
It can be quite daunting going through the process of submitting a charge of discrimination against your employer. You can seek the help of an employment law attorney to guide you through this process.
The attorney will have thorough knowledge of state and federal laws and can assist you to prepare your case against your employer.
The EEOC, or state FEPA, will usually investigate your complaint. If the EEOC decides that you have the evidence to file a lawsuit against your employer in a civil court, the attorney may help you to prepare a strong case on your behalf.
Additional Resources
- The 5 Most Common Workplace Discrimination Claims
- Which Government Agencies Handle Workplace Discrimination?
- Employment Discrimination In Virginia
