ADA Grievance Procedures


The Americans with Disabilities Act
Grievance Procedure for County Services, Programs, Activities or Facilities

Broward County established the following internal procedure to ensure the prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging discrimination on the basis of disability in the provision of services, programs, activities or benefits by the County.  This grievance procedure is adopted pursuant to the regulations implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended.  28 C.F.R. § 35.107
 
Any complaints relating to County employment practices should be directed to the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Professional Standards (OIAPS) in accordance with the Broward County Equal Employment Opportunity Policy.

If a County Department/Office/Division ADA designee (designee) has been identified, complaints of alleged discriminatory behavior may be filed with that Department/Office/Division.  Otherwise, complaints related to County services, programs, activities or facilities should be addressed to:

Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Professional Standards
115 S. Andrews Avenue, Suite 427
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
ATTN:  ADA Administrator
(954) 357-6500
(954) 357-7888 TTY

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE         

  1. All complaints shall include: 

    Name, address and contact number of the person(s) making the complaint; 

    Names, addresses and contact numbers of witnesses; 

    A narrative or statement describing the alleged violation of the ADA, including date and time of the alleged violation and county program or facility where the alleged violation occurred;

    A narrative or statement identifying the recommended corrective actions to solve the alleged violation(s); and  

    Any other documentation that may provide an additional explanation or identification of the alleged violation. 

    All ADA designees must notify OIAPS within five (5) business days of receipt of any and all ADA complaints filed directly with a County Department/Office/Division. The notification must provide the OIAPS with the name, telephone and address of the person(s) making the complaint, date the complaint was received, and a summary of the allegation(s).

  2. All complaints shall be filed no later than 180 days from the date of the alleged discrimination, unless the time for filing is extended by the OIAPS or designee upon a showing of good cause.

  3. Within fifteen (15) calendar days after receipt of the complaint, the ADA Administrator or designee will meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and possible resolution.

  4. Within thirty (30) calendar days of the meeting, the ADA Administrator or designee will complete an investigation/review of the allegations and respond in writing to the person(s) who filed the complaint. Where appropriate, the written response will be in a format accessible to the person(s) who filed the complaint, such as large print, Braille, compact disc (CD) or audio tape. An ADA designee will forward a copy of the written response to the OIAPS at the same time it is sent to the person(s) who filed the complaint. The response will explain the position of the County and offer options for substantive resolution of the complaint.

  5. The person(s) who filed the complaint may appeal the written response if it does not satisfactorily resolve the issue.  Appeals must be submitted in writing, or where appropriate, in a format accessible to the person(s) who filed the complaint, within fifteen (15) calendar days after receipt of written response to the Director of the OIAPS or designee. Appeals received by an ADA designee must be forwarded to the OIAPS within three (3) days after receipt of the appeal.

  6. Within fifteen (15) calendar days after receipt of the appeal, the Director of the OIAPS or designee will meet with complainant to discuss the appeal and possible resolutions.

  7. Within fifteen (15) calendar days after the meeting, the Director of the OIAPS or designee will respond in writing, and where appropriate, in a format accessible to the person(s) who filed the complaint, with a final resolution. The OIAPS must be provided with a copy of any and all written responses prepared by an ADA designee.

This Grievance Procedure shall be construed to protect the substantive rights of interested persons and to assure that the County meets the spirit and guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended.

Note: Alternative means of filing complaints, such as personal interviews or a recording of the complaint will be made available for persons with a disability(s) upon request. 

 
Revised May 2012​​