002.01.4. Civil Rights Complaint and Appeal Procedure
AR ADC 002.01.4Arkansas Administrative CodeEffective: May 29, 2023
Effective: May 29, 2023
Ark. Admin. Code 002.01.4
002.01.4. Civil Rights Complaint and Appeal Procedure
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (“AGFC” or “Commission”) makes every effort to provide fair treatment of all persons regardless of their race, color, religion, gender, national origin (including Limited English Proficiency (LEP)), income status, age, sex, or disability in their hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and other wildlife conservation activities, or in AGFC's programs and facilities, in accordance with applicable federal and state law. Furthermore, it is the policy of the Commission to provide equal access to its programs, services, activities, and facilities under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and other applicable laws and regulations. However, this policy does not waive the Commission's federal or state sovereign immunity. AGFC is a recipient of federal financial assistance.
The Commission encourages public awareness of this policy and the procedures for making discrimination complaints or inquiries. Complaints are to be dealt with confidentially and free of harassment and intimidation. This formal complaint procedure is established in accordance with state and federal law, and may be used by anyone who wishes to file a complaint alleging discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, LEP status, income status, age, sex, or disability in the provision of services by or access to activities, programs or facilities of AGFC. A separate procedure applies to complaints relating to employment by AGFC.
A copy of AGFC's LEP Plan and Policy is available at http://www.agfc.com/civil-rights.
If you believe you have been discriminated against (as described above), a complaint must be in writing on the “Civil Rights Complaint/Appeal” form and contain information about the alleged discrimination, such as your (the Complainant's) name, address, and phone number, as well as the location, date, and description of the incident. The Complainant must sign and date the form certifying the information is true and correct. Please use the Civil Rights Complaint/Appeal form to file a complaint. A complaint must be submitted by the Complainant or his or her designee as soon as possible, but no later than 180 calendar days after the alleged violation to:
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
ATTN: AGFC Compliance Officer
Human Resources
2 Natural Resources Drive
Little Rock, AR 72205
Email: [email protected]
Upon request, AGFC will make available alternative means of filing a complaint, such as personal interviews or a tape recording of the complaint with language assistance services, to LEP persons or persons with disabilities. If you need further assistance or information, please contact the AGFC Compliance Officer at 501-207-0326.
Within 180 calendar days after AGFC's receipt of the complaint, the AGFC Compliance Officer or designee will communicate with the Complainant to discuss the complaint and possible resolutions.
Within 180 calendar days after the communication, the AGFC Compliance Officer or designee will respond in writing, or, where appropriate, in a format accessible to the Complainant, with a final decision of the complaint. The response will explain the position of AGFC and offer alternative options for substantive resolution of the complaint.
If the response by the AGFC Compliance Officer or designee does not satisfactorily resolve the issue, the Complainant and/or his or her designee may appeal the decision within 180 calendar days after receipt of the response by submitting an additional completed Civil Rights Complaint/Appeal form to:
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
ATTN: Director
2 Natural Resources Drive
Little Rock, AR 72205
Alternatively, the Complainant may write to:
Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Civil Rights
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20240
AGFC will keep a log of all civil rights complaints received. The log will include date the complaint was filed, a summary of the allegations, the status of the complaint, and actions taken in response to the complaint. All written complaints received, notes, and responses will be retained by AGFC for at least three years.
Credits
Adopted May 29, 2023.
Current with amendments received through February 15, 2024. Some sections may be more current, see credit for details.
Ark. Admin. Code 002.01.4, AR ADC 002.01.4
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