Civil Rights Compliance

Nondiscrimination Policy and Complaint Procedures

Employees and service beneficiaries of the Department of Finance and Administration and grant subrecipients of the Office of Criminal Justice Programs may file a complaint of discrimination with the Department of Finance and Administration.  Click the link below for more information and instructions.

Filing a Civil Rights Discrimination Complaint

Civil Rights Compliance and Training

All recipients of federal financial assistance are subject to applicable federal civil rights laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability. As a condition of receiving funding, all OCJP subrecipients must comply with these requirements and provide annual Civil Rights training to their employees.

To strengthen compliance with Civil Rights laws, OCJP requires that each grant Project Director and designated Civil Rights Compliance Officer complete the Civil Rights Training and Quiz available on the OCJP website on an annual basis. New Project Directors must complete the training within ninety (90) days of their start date. Upon completion of the online quiz, the Project Director must retain verification of completion in the official grant file. Verification of training for both the Project Director and the Civil Rights Compliance Officer must also be maintained in their respective personnel files. This training requirement applies each year for the duration of the award.

In addition, subrecipient agencies must ensure that all other staff members receive Civil Rights training annually. Subrecipient agencies must also ensure that all staff review and acknowledge the Department of Finance and Administration Policy 36 – Nondiscrimination Policy and Complaint Procedures on an annual basis. Agencies must document staff acknowledgment of Policy 36, and these records must be maintained in each employee’s personnel file.

Agencies may use the training program available on the OCJP website or another comparable training program that includes required Civil Rights compliance information. While staff members other than the Project Director and Civil Rights Compliance Officer may complete the online quiz associated with the OCJP training, completion of the quiz is not required for those individuals. However, the Project Director remains responsible for maintaining documentation demonstrating that all staff members have completed the required annual Civil Rights training.

For purposes of compliance, the Project Director and Civil Rights Compliance Officer are required to access and complete the Civil Rights Training and Quiz. They are responsible for using this training or other appropriate materials to ensure the remainder of agency staff are trained annually. Agencies may elect to use Appendix O as certification of completion for training provided to other personnel.

Communications Accessibility Statement

The Department of Finance and Administration (F&A), Office of Criminal Justice Programs (OCJP), does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency), sex, age, or disability. F&A, OCJP, provides reasonable modifications for individuals with disabilities, and appropriate auxiliary aids and services, including qualified interpreters for individuals with disabilities and information in alternate formats, such as braille or large print, free of charge and in a timely manner, when such modifications, aids, and services are necessary to ensure accessibility and an equal opportunity to participate to individuals with disabilities. F&A, OCJP, provides language assistance services, including electronic and written translated documents and oral interpretation, free of charge and in a timely manner, when such services are a reasonable step to provide meaningful access to an individual with limited English proficiency.

To request reasonable modifications, appropriate auxiliary aids and services, and language assistance services stated above, please contact the Communications Coordinator at OCJP.News@tn.gov and FA.CivilRights@tn.gov. 

If you are refused reasonable modifications, appropriate aids and services, or language assistance services from OCJP or an OCJP grant funded organization, you may file a complaint with the F&A Title VI/Civil Rights Coordinator or other agency as outlined in the F&A Nondiscrimination Process and Complaint Form found here: Policy 36 and Complaint Form