Sections on This Page:

• What Is the Unemployed Anti-Discrimination Act of 2012 (UADA)?
• File a Complaint
• Additional Resources
• Additional Questions and Comments

• Refusing or failing to consider hiring a job applicant because the individual is unemployed;
• Refusing or failing to hire a job applicant because the individual is unemployed;
• Indicating in a job vacancy announcement that an applicant will not be considered or hired because they are unemployed, or is disqualified for the job because they are unemployed; and
• Retaliating against an employee who opposes or reports a violation of this Act.

Employers may ask about, examine and consider the underlying reasons for an applicant being unemployed. Employers may also limit consideration of applicants to those who:

• Are already employed by the employer;
• Hold a current and valid professional or occupational license;
• Have a certificate, registration, permit or other credential; and
• Meet a minimal level of education, training or professional experience.

If the Commission on Human Rights determines a violation occurred, penalties may be imposed on employers and awarded to the complainant. Penalties are:

• $1000 per claimant for an employer’s first violation;
• $5000 per claimant for an employer’s second violation;
• $10,000 per claimant for each subsequent violation, but not to exceed $20,000 per claimant.

File a Complaint

Under the DCHRA, OHR has jurisdiction over complaints of discrimination brought within one year of the incidence or discovery of an alleged discriminatory act that occurred in the District of Columbia.

If you believe you were discriminated against, you can file a complaint with OHR Initial Written Complaint form below:

• You can view, download, and fill out the form by clicking here. Once complete, you can either email, mail, fax, or visit our office to submit the finished form (information on how to do this can be found on File a Discrimination Complaint).
• Coming soon - you will able to complete and submit the form online.
• Additional languages are coming soon. If you need help completing this form, please reach out to OHR (information on how to do this is at the bottom of this page). 

You can learn more about OHR’s complaint process by visiting this page. 

Additional Resources:

• Download the Unemployed Anti-Discrimination Act FAQ sheet (PDF). 
• Download the Unemployed Anti-Discrimination Act (PDF).