Human Relations

Municiple Building Augusta
Human Relations

History

Background:

In the early 1970's, Augusta suffered a race riot. Buildings were burned and looted. Six people were fatally shot. Concerned citizens, both Black and White, came together to find ways to prevent another riot. From these efforts, the Human Relations Commission was formed. The agency has never forgotten its mandate - to make Augusta-Richmond County a place we are all proud to call home.

Function:

HRC now operates with a paid staff of six under a board of twelve volunteers. Each year it assists with the complaints and concerns of about 6,000 residents in Augusta and surrounding areas. About 90% of those complaints relate to employment matters. About 10% of the complaints received pertain to problems such as social, educational, housing, consumer and law enforcement.

Job Discrimination:

HRC has a work-share agreement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Under this agreement, HRC receives and investigates complaints of discrimination prohibited by federal laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Equal Pay Act of 1963. Illegal types of discrimination include harmful acts based on an employee's age, race, gender, religion, pregnancy, disability/condition, skin color, or national origin. Sexual harassment (a type of gender discrimination) is also illegal, as well as harms aimed at retaliating against an employee who has filed a discrimination charged, testified about another employee's complaint, or spoken against illegal discriminating practices.

Timeliness:

To be timely, complaints about these types of harms must be filed within 180 days of the last date of harm