Filing a Complaint with Your Employer

What to do if Subjected to Discrimination

• An employee should familiarize themselves with the employer’s discrimination and harassment policies. The policies should provide notice of who the employee can report discrimination and harassment to. 
• In the absence of such policies, an employee should report discrimination and harassment to human resources, their supervisor (unless the supervisor is the one subjecting the employee to discrimination, harassment or retaliation), their supervisor’s superior, an owner, etc.. 
• Although an employee has a responsibility to inform their employer of discrimination and harassment and allow the employer to take prompt, remedial action, the employee should instead contact the commission if:
  • There is no one in a position higher than the offender to report a complaint to; or
  • The offender is the employee’s superior, and a tangible employment action was taken against the employee; or
  • The employee has already reported complaints to no avail. 

What is a Tangible Employment Action?

A significant change in employment status, such as:

• Hiring and firing;
• Failure to promote;
• Demotion;
• Undesirable reassignment;
• A decision causing a significant change in benefits;
• Compensation decisions; and
• Work assignment.