Employment Litigation Section
Frequently Asked Questions
Re: Right-to-Sue
How do I request a notice of right to sue?
If I have filed a charge with the EEOC and want a
notice of right to sue, which agency will issue it to me?
Can you issue me a notice of right to sue on a charge
I filed against a private employer or union?
If I am alleging discrimination because of my age, will
the Department of Justice issue me a notice of right to sue?
I work for an agency of the federal government, and
believe that I have experienced employment discrimination on the job. Will you
issue me a notice of right to sue?
What should I do if I have reason to believe that the
employer I work for is retaliating against me after learning that I have filed
a charge or a lawsuit based on that charge?
Does the 90-day time frame within which I must file
suit begin from the date on my notice of right to sue letter?
The 90-day time frame within which I must file suit
expires in a week and I haven't found an attorney to take my case. Can the DOJ
extend that 90-day time frame?
If I want the EEOC to continue processing my charge
should I request a notice of right to sue on that charge?
Where can I find the procedural regulations of the
EEOC that, among other things, address the issuance of notices of right to sue?
I have been unable to find an attorney to represent
me after receiving my notice of right to sue. How can I find one?
Q. How do I request a notice of right to sue?
A. The Department of Justice has authority to issue a notice
of right to sue on a charge filed under Title VII or the
Americans with Disabilities Act only when the respondent
is a state or local government, governmental agency or
political subdivision. If you have filed such a charge
with the EEOC and
want a notice of right to sue, you may
make your request in writing either to the office of the
EEOC where you filed the charge or to the Employment
Litigation Section, Right to Sue Unit. Our address is:
U.S. Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Employment Litigation Section, PHB
Right to Sue Unit
Washington, D.C. 20530
.
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Q. If I have filed a charge with the EEOC and want a notice
of right to sue, which agency will issue it to me?
A. The Right-to-Sue Unit of the Employment Litigation
Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of
Justice issues notices of right to sue requested by
charging parties, upon receipt of appropriate
documentation from the EEOC, on charges that have been
filed with the EEOC against state and local government
employers under Title VII and the Americans with
Disabilities Act, except in those instances in which the
EEOC has dismissed the charge.
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Q. Can you issue me a notice of right to sue on a charge I
filed against a private employer or union?
No. The Department of Justice does not have authority to
issue a notice of right to sue on a charge filed against
a private employer or union. Such a notice would have to
be issued by the A. The 90-day time frame begins from the date that the
notice of right to sue letter is received.
A. The Department of Justice does not give legal advice to private citizens
or represent them. However, the local EEOC office where you filed your charge
may be able to provide you with the names of attorneys in that area who handle cases alleging employment discrimination.
