Does it cost money to file a discrimination complaint with CREO?

No. CREO services are free.
________________________________________

Do I need an attorney to file a discrimination complaint with CREO?

You do not need an attorney to file a discrimination complaint with CREO, but you may hire one at your own expense, if you wish.
________________________________________

How do I begin the complaint filing process?

The process begins when you contact CREO by the myKCMO app, e-mail, phone, letter or office visit about a potential job discrimination issue. We will ask you to provide detailed information about your job discrimination complaint and make an initial decision whether your complaint is covered by our laws. If your complaint is covered, we will ask you to complete a questionnaire. We also will counsel you about your discrimination complaint. 
________________________________________

Will my company know if I talk to CREO?

If you talk to CREO and decide not to file a job discrimination complaint, no information is provided to your company.If you decide to file a formal complaint, CREO is required to provide a copy to your company within 10 days. However, your company only receives a copy of the Charge of Discrimination and will not learn all of the details you provide to CREO. In addition, your company is prohibited from punishing you because you filed a discrimination complaint.

________________________________________

How much time do I have to report discrimination?

You have 180 days from the most recent discriminatory act to file a charge of discrimination. This 180-day filing deadline is extended to 300 days in some situations if you file with the Federal EEOC.
You should contact us immediately if you believe your employer is discriminating against you. We can help you determine whether your job discrimination complaint is within the correct time limit.

________________________________________

What happens after I file a discrimination complaint?

Once you file a charge of discrimination complaint, we will send a copy of your complaint to the company. We will ask the company to give us a written answer to your complaint.

If both parties agree to participate, there is an alternative way to solve your complaint, called "mediation." Mediation typically occurs before your complaint is investigated by CREO and provides you and the company an opportunity to mutually agree on a resolution to your complaint. Mediators don't decide who is right or wrong, but they are very good at suggesting ways to solve problems and disagreements.

CREO's investigation of your complaint depends on the facts of the case, and the kinds of information we need to gather. We will often interview you or witnesses and may request documentation or evidence from both parties.

You may elect to close your case prior to issuance of a determination in order to pursue your complaint in court by filing a signed Request for Notice of Right to Sue Letter.

At the conclusion of CREO’s investigation, we issue a closure letter you and the company that explains our findings if discrimination occurred or not. If discrimination was found, CREO then works with both of you to resolve the situation through conciliation. If a solution is not found, CREO may refer the matter to the city counselor for possible prosecution in municipal court or to the Human Rights Commission for public hearing, which may order any relief that is necessary to remedy the discrimination, including the payment of fines, the suspension or revocation of business licenses, and orders to cease and desist from unlawful discriminatory practices. 
________________________________________

Does CREO have a time limit to complete the investigation of my complaint?

CREO does not have a time limit to complete an investigation except in complaints of housing discrimination. The length of time it takes depends on the circumstances of your individual case. In some instances, discrimination complaints are dismissed soon after they are filed because there is no evidence of illegal treatment or because they are not covered by our laws. In other cases, CREO needs to gather additional information before we can make a decision.
________________________________________

What happens if I change my mind and I want to drop my complaint or stop CREO's investigation?

You may ask CREO to withdraw your discrimination complaint at any time. To do so, you should contact CREO staff in writing and express your intent and reasons to withdraw your complaint.  
________________________________________

Can my company punish me for filing a complaint with CREO?

Your company is prohibited from retaliating against you, treating you differently, or harassing you because you file a discrimination complaint with CREO, even if it turns out that the conduct you were complaining about was not illegal. However, you are not excused from continuing to perform your job or follow your company's legitimate workplace rules just because you file a complaint with CREO.