TITLE VI INFORMATION & COMPLAINT FORM
TITLE VI STATEMENT ––
The Harrisburg Area Transportation Study (HATS) does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in its programs or activities. Furthermore, HATS will not, directly or through contractual arrangements:
-
Engage in intentional discrimination because of race, color, or national origin;
-
Use criteria or methods of administration which have the effect of subjecting persons to discrimination because of their race, color, or national origin; or,
-
Intimidate, threaten, coerce, or discriminate against any individual in retaliation for exercising a right or privilege.
In addition to the aforementioned covered Title VI basis, HATS does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of disability in its services, programs or activities.
All complaints that allege exclusion from participation in, denial of benefits or discrimination on the grounds of race, color, or national origin from a program, service or activity administered by HATS shall be forwarded to the HATS Title VI Coordinator for intake and disposition consistent with the appropriate operating administration’s complaint resolution process. Members of the public may file Title VI Complaints via email to planning@tcrpc-pa.org or via mail at:
Tri-County Regional Planning Commission
320 Market Street, Suite 301E
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Complaints that a program, service, or activity of HATS or one of its member municipalities is not accessible to persons with disabilities should be directed to:
Andrew Bomberger, Executive Director
Tri-County Regional Planning Commission
320 Market Street, Suite 301E
Harrisburg, PA 17101
717-234-2639
planning@tcrpc-pa.org
HATS will not place a surcharge on an individual with a disability to cover the costs of providing auxiliary aids/services or reasonable modifications of policy.
TITLE VI COMPLAINT PROCEDURES ––
PURPOSE:
The HATS Title VI Complaint Procedures is written to specify the process employed by HATS to investigate complaints, while ensuring due process for Complainants and Respondents. The process does not preclude HATS from attempting to informally resolve complaints.
This procedure applies to all external complaints relating to any program or activity administered by HATS and/or its subrecipients, consultants and contractors, filed under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended (including Disadvantage Business Enterprise and Equal Employment Opportunity components), as well as other related laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, disability, sex, age, low income, nationality or Limited English Proficiency. Additional statutes include, but are not limited to, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and the Americans with Disability Act of 1990.
These procedures are part of an administrative process that does not provide for remedies that include punitive damages or compensatory remuneration for the Complainant. Intimidation or retaliation of any kind is prohibited by law.
PROCESS:
An individual, or his or her representative, who believes that he or she has been subject to discrimination or retaliation prohibited by Title VI and other nondiscrimination provisions, has the right to file a complaint. Complaints need to be filed within 180 calendar days of alleged occurrence, when the alleged discrimination became known to the Complainant, or when there has been a continuing course of conduct, the date on which the conduct was discontinued or latest instance of the conduct.
Complaints may be mailed to:
Title VI Compliance Officer
HATS
112 Market St., 2nd Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Title VI Coordinator
Bureau of Equal Opportunity
PA Department of Transportation
PO Box 3251
Harrisburg, PA 17105-1720
Equal Opportunity Specialist
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
228 Walnut St., Room 508
Harrisburg, PA 17105-1720
Equal Opportunity Specialist
PA Human Relations Commission
Harrisburg Regional Office
Riverfront Office Center, 5th Floor
1101-1125 S. Front St.
Harrisburg, PA 17104-2515
U.S. Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Office of the Assistant Attorney General, Main
Washington, DC 20530
Civil Rights Officer
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Transit Administration
1760 Market St., Suite 500
Philadelphia, PA 19103-4124
Title VI Coordinator
Office of Civil Rights
Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20591
Complaints shall be in writing and signed by the Complainant(s). If complaints are received by telephone or in person, the Title VI Compliance Officer or other authorized representative shall formally interview the person to provide the basis for the written complaint. If necessary, the authorized person will assist the Complainant in writing the complaint. The written complaint must include the following information:
-
Name, address and telephone number of Complainant
-
Basis of the complaint (e.g., Race, Color, National Origin, Sex, Age, Disability or Retaliation).
-
A detailed description of the circumstances of the incident that lead the Complainant to believe discrimination occurred.
-
Names address and phones numbers of people who may have knowledge of the alleged incident or are perceived as parties in the complained-of-incident.
-
Date or dates on which the alleged discrimination occurred.
-
Other agencies where the complaint was filed.
As an investigation moves forward, additional information may be required.
If HATS cannot resolve any matters informally, the Commission will acknowledge receipt of the complaint by notifying the Complainant and immediately transmitting the complaint to the proper state or federal agency (e.g. Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, and PennDOT) for investigation and disposition pursuant to that agency’s Title VI complaint procedures. This can be done via the most time efficient method, most likely email. The Department of Justice has final word on what agency will investigate the claim.
The HATS Title VI Compliance Officer will maintain a log of all complaints received by the Commission.
APPEAL PROCESS:
If the Complainant does not agree with the decision by the Respondent and cannot come to an informal agreement, the Complainant can directly file the complaint with:
PA Department of Transportation
Bureau of Equal Opportunity
PO Box 3251
Harrisburg, PA 17105-3251
Federal Transit Administration
Office of Civil Rights
Title VI Program Coordinator
East Building, 5th Floor - TCR
200 New Jersey Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20590
Federal Highway Administration
PA Division Office
228 Walnut St., Room 508
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1720
U.S. Department of Justice
Office for Civil Rights
810 7th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20531
TITLE VI COMPLAINT FORM --
Please download the PDF form in English, print it, fill it out, and mail it to:
Tri-County Regional Planning Commission
Title VI Compliance Officer
112 Market Street, 2nd Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17101
ADA PUBLIC NOTICE
In accordance with the requirements of title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ("ADA"), the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission (“TCRPC”) will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities.
Employment: TCRPC does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its hiring or employment practices and complies with all regulations promulgated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under title I of the ADA.
Effective Communication: TCRPC will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities so they can participate equally in TCRPC’s programs, services, and activities, including qualified sign language interpreters, documents in Braille, and other ways of making information and communications accessible to people who have speech, hearing, or vision impairments.
Modifications to Policies and Procedures: TCRPC will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities. For example, individuals with service animals are welcomed in TCRPC offices, even where pets are generally prohibited.
Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity of TCRPC, should contact the office of TCRPC Executive Director as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event.
The ADA does not require TCRPC to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services, or impose an undue financial or administrative burden.
Complaints that a program, service, or activity of TCRPC is not accessible to persons with disabilities should be directed to TCRPC Executive Director.
TCRPC will not place a surcharge on a particular individual with a disability or any group of individuals with disabilities to cover the cost of providing auxiliary aids/services or reasonable modifications of policy, such as retrieving items from locations that are open to the public but are not accessible to persons who use wheelchairs.
TCRPC ADA Coordinator
Executive Director, TCRPC
320 Market Street, Suite 301E
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 234-2639
planning@tcrpc-pa.org