How to File a Complaint

Email civilrightsinfo@nasa.gov or mail a complaint to:

Office of Equal Opportunity
Equal Opportunity Programs Branch
Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters
300 E Street SW, Rm. 6O85
Washington, DC 20546

Complaints of Discrimination in NASA-Funded Programs

Recipients of NASA funds are prohibited by law from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, or age in any of their programs and activities. Recipients are also prohibited from discriminating on the basis of sex in education programs or activities. Prohibited discrimination includes retaliation against an individual for filing a complaint of discrimination.

If you experienced discrimination in a recipient’s programs or activities, you may file a complaint within 180 days of the alleged discrimination. In making your complaint, please include:

• Your full name, address, email address, and telephone number where you can be reached during business hours, and the name of the person discriminated against (if you are filing on behalf of someone else);
• The name and location of the business, organization, or institution that you believe has discriminated;
• A description of the act or acts of discrimination, the date or dates of the discriminatory act(s), the basis for the alleged discrimination or harassment (race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age), and the name or names of individuals who you believe engaged in the discrimination; and
• Other information that supports your complaint. Please include copies of relevant documents (do not send original documents).

Complaints of Discrimination in NASA-Conducted Programs

NASA is prohibited by law from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, religion, age, sex, and status as a parent in our educational and training programs. If you experienced discrimination in one of NASA’s educational or training programs, you may file a complaint within 180 days of the alleged discrimination. This process does not cover discrimination in NASA or NASA contractor employment. To make an employment discrimination claim, please follow the process described under Complaints of Employment Discrimination on the OEO homepage.

In making your complaint of discrimination in NASA-conducted educational or training activities, please include:

• Your full name, address, email address, and telephone number where you can be reached during business hours, and the name of the person discriminated against (if you are filing on behalf of someone else);
• The name and location of the NASA educational or training activity;
• A description of the act or acts of discrimination, the date or dates of the discriminatory act(s), the basis for the alleged discrimination or harassment (race, color, national origin, disability, religion, age, sex, or status as a parent), and the name or names of individuals who you believe engaged in the discrimination; and
• Other information that supports your complaint. Please include copies of relevant documents (do not send original documents).

NASA Web Accessibility Complaints

Like other federal agencies, NASA is required by law to have accessible websites. For more information on NASA’s 508 compliance commitment, please see Accessibility at NASA.

When reporting a complaint, please include:

• Your full name, address, email address, and telephone number where you can be reached during business hours, and the name of the person making the complaint (if you are filing on behalf of someone else);
• The browser and assistive technology you are using at the time of the issue; and
• The web page or document URL(s).

Reminder to Recipients: Harassment Reporting Requirements

NASA reminds recipients of funds (such as educational institutions, nonprofit organizations or private companies participating in NASA grants or cooperative agreements) of their obligation to report:

• Any finding/determination regarding the principal investigator or any co-investigator (the PI or Co-I) that demonstrates a violation of the recipient’s policies or codes of conduct relating to sexual harassment, other forms of harassment, or sexual assault; and/or
• if the PI or any Co-I is placed on administrative leave or if any administrative action has been imposed on the PI or any Co-I by the recipient relating to any finding/determination or an investigation of an alleged violation of the recipient’s policies or codes of conduct, statutes, regulations, or executive orders relating to sexual harassment, other forms of harassment, or sexual assault.

The Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) is required to report any of these findings/investigations or administrative action/placements on administrative leave to NASA’s Office Equal Opportunity by e-mailing civilrightsinfo@nasa.gov within 10 business days of the date of the finding/determination, or the date of the placement of a PI or Co-I by the recipient on administrative leave or the imposition of an administrative action.

The AOR should include in the report:

• the NASA Award Number; and
• Name of PI or Co-I being reported;
• The type of report being made (a report of a finding/determination of a violation or a report of administrative action or placement of the PI or Co-I on administrative leave);
• A description of the finding/ determination and action(s) taken, if any; and/or,
• The reason(s) for, and conditions of placement of the PI or any Co-I on administrative action or administrative leave.

For more information on the reporting requirement and the steps NASA will take to ensure the safety of participants in NASA-funded activities, please see Section 4.6 of the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions and NASA’s related notice.