District of Columbia

Key facts

EEOC filing deadline

300 days (FEPA work-sharing)

State agency deadline

1 year to OHR

Employer coverage

1 or more employees

State law

DC Human Rights Act (DCHRA)

State court statute of limitations

1 year

Additional protections beyond federal law

• •Sexual orientation
• •Gender identity and expression
• •Marital status
• •Family responsibilities (caring for a family member)
• •Personal appearance
• •Matriculation (student status)
• •Political affiliation
• •Source of income
• •Place of residence or business
• •Homeless status

How it works

District of Columbia has a work-sharing agreement with the EEOC. A charge filed with DC Office of Human Rights is generally also considered filed with the EEOC ("dual-filed"), and vice versa. You usually only need to file once.

Key notes

The DC Human Rights Act is among the most comprehensive in the country, covering more protected classes than any state law. The one-employee threshold means virtually every worker in DC has protection. OHR is an active enforcement agency. DC employees facing discrimination have stronger state-law options than workers in most jurisdictions.