About Us — Office of Civil Rights

The Office of Civil Rights (S/OCR)’s mission is to manage the Secretary’s equal employment opportunity (EEO) program to become a model EEO program. We do this through our oversight of the EEO Process, management of the Anti-Harassment Program (AHP), educating employees about unlawful employment discrimination, facilitating resolution, and advocating change to overcome barriers that restrict equal employment opportunity.

S/OCR promotes the Leadership and Management Principles (3 FAM 1214) across the State Department because we recognize the importance of leadership in the workplace and its role in addressing complaints and concerns of discrimination, particularly harassment and retaliation. S/OCR operates to ensure all employees and applicants are provided a full and fair opportunity for employment, career advancement, and access to programs for employment by providing avenues of redress and remedying discriminatory behavior, in compliance with EEO laws and regulations. S/OCR manages the Department’s AHP, which is separate from the EEO process, to investigate allegations of harassment for management’s immediate corrective action and possible disciplinary action. S/OCR strives for timely and sensitive customer service and a workforce equipped with knowing their EEO rights and responsibilities.

S/OCR must carry out its mission in a rapidly changing environment. We must consistently rise to the challenge to support employees worldwide, their careers, and the broader organization. We must adapt to the sociocultural context within the United States, to uphold EEO laws and Department regulations. S/OCR is both a programmatic and administrative office, working in tandem to empower employees to address issues of discrimination and harassment proactively, as well as reacting to the issues brought to us by applicants, employees, and leadership alike.

It is the policy of the Federal Government to treat all employees with dignity and respect and to provide a workplace that is free from discrimination. Federal laws protect employees and applicants from discrimination involving unfair treatment because of protected EEO bases; workplace harassment; denial of a reasonable religious or disability accommodation; and retaliation due to opposition to discrimination or participation in a protected EEO process.

It is the policy of the Department of State to provide equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information, and free from reprisal for prior EEO activity or opposition to illegal discrimination. Furthermore, it is the policy of the Department to provide equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to marital status, political affiliation, and other non-merit-based factors. The Department also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity, equity and inclusion, and accessibility programs.

If you are a Department of State employee or applicant and you believe you are the victim of discrimination and/or harassment based on your race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age (40 years or older), disability, genetic information, and/or retaliation (for opposing discrimination or prior participation in the EEO process), please be advised of the following:

To initiate the EEO complaint process, regulations require that you contact S/OCR or an EEO Counselor within 45 calendar days of the alleged discriminatory act in order to preserve your right to file a formal complaint of discrimination with S/OCR.

For more information about EEO and diversity, please contact us at:

U.S. Department of State
Office of Civil Rights (S/OCR)
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Email: socr_direct@state.gov
Tel: (202) 647-9295 or (202) 647-9294
Fax: (202) 647-4969