Civil Rights Team

Investigate and address discrimination complaints across various domains within the City of Detroit, including employment, housing, education, public service, and more. 

Handle workplace violence complaints for City of Detroit employees and provide related training and outreach. 

Ensure compliance with Chapter 23 of the City of Detroit Code of Ordinances, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 

 

The Civil Rights Team: 

  •  Investigates complaints of discrimination for people who live, work play and gather in Detroit.​​
  • Investigates and makes findings on workplace violence, discrimination and sexual harassment for City of Detroit Employees.​​
  • We provide language services for limited English proficient citizens who participate in any City services or programs.​​
  • We provide ADA accommodations assistance to the Human Resources Department and respond to ADA grievances/complaints.​
  • We ensure that the City of Detroit is compliant with all federal and state laws as it relates to discrimination.​​
  • We train employees on workplace violence, discrimination and sexual harassment. ​
  • Lastly, we engage in outreach activities to keep the public informed about the CRIO department and the citizens of Detroit rights as it relates to discrimination, diversity and inclusion. ​ We offer employment, housing and public accommodations discrimination workshops/seminars to keep the public informed about their legal rights.  We also provide guidance to those involved in the industry of housing, employment and public places serving customers within the City of Detroit

 

Determining If You Have A Civil Rights Claim

How do you know if you have a valid case to file a City of Detroit Civil Rights Violation Claim?

The Civil Rights, Inclusion, & Opportunity (CRIO) Department is authorized by law to investigate civil rights violations that occur in the City of Detroit. Ask yourself the following five questions to determine if you have a human rights complaint:

  1. Did the violation occur within Detroit city limits?
  2. Was the business or institution located in Detroit?
  3. Was the discrimination in the area of employment, education, housing, public service, commercial space, resort or amusement?
  4. Was the discrimination/harassment based on race, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, HIV/AIDS status, handicap/disability, marital status, religion/creed, color, or public benefit status?
  5. Did the discrimination/harassment event occur less than one year ago?

 

If you answered YES to all of these questions, then you should call or visit the Detroit Civil Rights, Inclusion, & Opportunity Department website and the complaint so that an Investigator can discuss possible ways to resolve your complaint.

If you answered NO to any of these questions, you may have a valid claim with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights or the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

 

Michigan Department of Civil Rights (M.D.C.R.)

3054 W. Grand Blvd  Cadillac Place, Suite 3-600, Detroit, MI 48202

Phone: (313) 456-3700        Fax: (313) 456-3701

Toll Free: (800) 482-3604        TTY: (877) 878-8464    Website: www.michigan.gov/mdcr

Email: [email protected]

 

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (E.E.O.C.)

477 Michigan Ave, Room #865, Detroit, MI 48226

Phone: (800) 669-4000        Fax: (313) 226-4610        Website: www.eeoc.gov

 

Information you must provide in your complaint for your complaint to be assessed.

Your name, mailing address, and telephone number.

The correct name of each business or individual person you accuse of an ordinance violation (the “respondent”).  You may name more than one respondent.

The full and correct mailing address of each respondent.  The address must be sufficient to allow the Department to “serve” the complaint by U.S. Mail.

A description of the conduct, policy, or practice which you claim is discriminatory.  This description must be sufficient to notify the Department and the respondent of the timing, locations, and facts which set the scope of your complaint.  

The date of each discriminatory action you are alleging.  The discrimination must have occurred within 365 days of the filing of the complaint.

The type/s of discrimination you claim as to each alleged discriminatory action, as well as your protected status with regard to each such claim.  For example, if you are alleging national origin discrimination, you would state your national origin.

Related Links

 

Fair Housing Center of Metro-Detroit

220 Bagley, Suite 1020, Detroit, MI 48226

Phone: (313) 963-1274

Website: www.fairhousingdetroit.org

 

Link to chapter 23  

https://library.municode.com/mi/detroit/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CICOCH21--43_CH23HURI

 

 

How to file a discrimination complaint

There are many ways to file your discrimination complaint:

 

Investigative Agencies

Detroit Board of Police Commissioners

For complaints about police officers contact:

Office of the Chief Investigator

1301 Third Street, Detroit, MI 48226

Phone: (313) 596-2499            Fax: (313) 596-2482                

 

Office of Inspector General

The Office of Inspector General investigates waste, abuse, fraud, and corruption in City government.  

615 Griswold , Suite 1230 Detroit, MI 48226

Hotline

(313) 964-TIPS (8477)(voicemail), fax: (313) 628-2793

[email protected]

Office of Inspector General Main Line

313-628-2517

https://detroitmi.gov/government/office-inspector.general

 

City of Detroit Ombudsman

This department liaison between the City of Detroit and all persons who have a complaint or inquiry into the operation of a city department or conduct of a city employee

(313) 224-6000, Fax: (313) 224-1911

[email protected]

https://detroitmi.gov/government/ombudsman

 

Board of Ethics

Investigate and resolve complaints regarding alleged violations of the Ethics Ordinance by public servants and to issue advisory opinions regarding the meaning and application of provisions of the Charter, City Ordinances, other laws, or regulations establishing standards of conduct for public servants.

313-224-9521

[email protected]

Butzel Family Center, 7737 Kercheval, Suite #213, Detroit, MI 48214 (313-224-9521)

https://www.detroitethics.org/complaints

 

Fair Chance Housing

Systemic discrimination against people with criminal records in tenant screening is a persistent barrier to housing access, economic stability, and public safety, and contributes to the prison-to-homelessness pipeline. The Fair Chance act provides critical protections against housing discrimination based on prior criminal history by regulating the use of criminal background checks. During the tenant screening process, housing providers would be required to perform an individualized review of each applicant that considers the totality of the circumstances, rather than automatically disqualifying them due to their past mistakes.

 

FAIR CHANCE ACCESS TO RENTAL HOUSING: This ordinance was written to make sure that people who have been arrested or convicted of a crime have a fair chance to find a place to live. It does this by controlling how landlords can check someone's criminal record when they apply to rent a place. The goal is to help these individuals become a part of society again, to lower the chances of them committing more crimes, and to save money for both the government and society. When people with arrest or conviction records face barriers in finding housing, it makes it more likely they will commit more crimes. This not only affects their families and communities but also slows down the city's progress in growing economically. 

 

Link to File a complaint: https://ois.mycmts.com/detroitcrio/d68b192f-eb5b-4f6a-a9a8-57d434023f5a.standalone.html