If you are a NIST employee, a former NIST employee, or applicant for employment at NIST, and you feel you have been discriminated against because of your age (40 and older), color, race, national origin, religion, physical or mental disability, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, genetic information, and/or reprisal for previous EEO activity, or you need additional information regarding discrimination or harassment issues, contact an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Counselor or the Equal Employment Opportunity and Accessibility Office (301-975-2038 or eeoao [at] nist.gov (eeoao[at]nist[dot]gov) ) within 45 calendar days of the alleged act of discrimination.
Read the Federal EEO Complaint Processing Regulations (29 CFR 1614)
DAO 215-9 Filling Discrimination Complaints
Contact an EEO Counselor Outside of your operating unit
Building Accessibility
File an Architectural Barriers Act Complaint
You should file an ABA complaint if you have encountered or are aware of an accessibility barrier at a building or facility covered by the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (ABA). Covered buildings or facilities are those designed, built, or altered with federal dollars or leased by federal agencies after August 12, 1968. Examples include U.S. post offices, Veterans Affairs medical facilities, national parks, Social Security Administration offices, federal office buildings, U.S. courthouses, and federal prisons.
These facilities must meet standards for accessible design, which indicate where access is required and provide detailed specifications for ramps, parking, doors, elevators, restrooms, assistive listening systems, fire alarms, signs, and other accessible building elements.
The Access Board enforces the ABA through the investigation of complaints.
To file an ABA complaint, we strongly recommend using our Online ABA Complaint Form.
As an alternative, you may e-mail your complaint to enforce [at] access-board.gov (enforce[at]access-board[dot]gov). If you choose this filing method, be sure to include the name and address of the building or facility and a brief description of each access problem or barrier you have encountered or are aware of. You are not required to provide your name or contact information, but if you have photographs or supporting documentation, you may attach them to your e-mail.
Complaints cannot be filed by phone, but if you are unable to file online or by e-mail due to a disability, call 202-272-0050 (voice) or 202-272-0066 (TTY).
More information about the ABA and how to file a complaint can be found at File an Architectural Barriers Act Complaint (access-board.gov)
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. § 794d)
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 508) requires all electronic and information technology (also referred to as information and communication technology or ICT) that is developed, procured, maintained, or used by a federal agency to be accessible to people with disabilities. Examples of ICT include web sites, telephones, multimedia devices, and copiers. Access available to individuals with disabilities must be comparable to access available to others. Standards for Section 508 compliance are developed and maintained by the United States Access Board. Further information about the Access Board's standards and Section 508 generally may be found at www.section508.gov.
If you have questions about the NIST Section 508 program, please contact Kathy Lynch at (301) 975-2864 or kathy.lynch [at] nist.gov (kathy[dot]lynch[at]nist[dot]gov). For information about filing a complaint, contact Equal Employment Opportunity and Accessibility Office at (301) 975-2038 or eeoao [at] nist.gov (eeoao[at]nist[dot]gov).