STATE OF CALIFORNIA | State and Consumer Services Agency EDMUND G. BROWN, JR., Governor DEPARTMENT OF FAIR EMPLOYMENT & HOUSING PHYLLIS W. CHENG, Director (SEE ADDRESS CHECKED BELOW) www.dfeh.ca.gov |TTY # (800) 700-2320 |Videophone for the DEAF (916) 226-5285 PLEASE READ CAREFULLY  H  M  C  R/S  E  G 4800 Stockdale Hwy., Suite 215 Bakersfield, CA 93309-1586 (661) 395-2729 Bay Area Regional Office 1515 Clay Street, Suite 701 Oakland, CA 94612-1460 (510) 622-2941 1277 Alluvial Avenue, Suite 101 Fresno, CA 93720 (559) 244-4760 1055 West Seventh Street, Suite 1400 Los Angeles, CA 90017 (213) 439-6799 Sacramento District Office 2218 Kausen Drive, Suite 100 Elk Grove, CA 95758 (916) 478-7230 2570 North First Street, Suite 480 San Jose, CA 95131 (408) 325-0344 "RIGHT-TO-SUE NOTICE" INSTRUCTIONS You have requested a "right-to-sue notice" from the Department of Fair Employment and Housing. The Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), at Government Code section 12965, subdivision (b), requires that individuals must exhaust their administrative remedies with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) by filing a complaint and obtaining a "right-to-sue notice" from the Department before filing a lawsuit under the FEHA. DFEH will accept requests for an immediate DFEH "right-to-sue notice" from persons who have decided to proceed in court. Your DFEH complaint must be filed within one year from the last act of discrimination or you may lose your right to file a lawsuit under the FEHA. The process of proceeding directly to court without an investigation by DFEH is advisable only if you have an attorney. If you do not have an attorney, you can file a discrimination complaint with DFEH for investigation. If you decide to file a lawsuit at a later time, you can still do so. If you wish to have your complaint investigated by DFEH, call 1-800-884-1684 for an appointment. If you receive an immediate DFEH "right-to-sue notice," your complaint will not be investigated by DFEH even if you later decide not to file a lawsuit. If you receive an immediate DFEH "right-to-sue notice," your complaint will not be dualfiled by DFEH with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). DFEH complaints may be dual-filed with EEOC only if DFEH accepts the complaint for investigation. In order to receive a federal right-to-sue notice, you must file a complaint with EEOC WITHIN 30 DAYS OF YOUR RECEIPT OF THE DFEH "NOTICE OF CASE CLOSURE" OR WITHIN 300 DAYS OF THE ALLEGED DISCRIMINATORY ACT, WHICHEVER IS EARLIER. The telephone number for EEOC in Northern California is (415) 625-5600. The Southern California EEOC telephone number is (213) 894-1000. EEOC enforces laws which prohibit discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age (40 or over) or disability. For race, religion, color, sex, national origin and disability complaints, EEOC has jurisdiction over employers who employ 15 or more persons. For age complaints, EEOC has jurisdiction over employers who employ 20 or more persons. In signing the enclosed documents, you are acknowledging the following: 1) You have read and understood this letter. 2) You understand that once DFEH has issued an authorization to file a lawsuit DFEH will not investigate or reopen your complaint. Furthermore, you have chosen not to exercise your option of having DFEH investigate your complaint before electing court action. You also understand that you should seek the advice and representation of counsel on filing a lawsuit. 3) You understand that DFEH will not file your complaint with EEOC, and that if you wish to obtain a federal right-to-sue notice from EEOC you must contact EEOC directly. 4) You have one year from the date of the DFEH "right-to-sue notice" to file a lawsuit. If you wish to request an immediate DFEH "right-to-sue notice" to file a lawsuit, complete the enclosed documents, and return them to the DFEH office checked in the margin of this letter. If you are filing against more than one company or individual, you must submit a complaint form for each one. If there are not enough forms enclosed, please request additional copies from the office checked in the margin, or have additional copies made from the form enclosed. Please complete, sign, and date, all of the complaint forms. DFEH-200-01 (01/11) American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com