Civil Rights
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Civil Rights Section ensures effective access to and nondiscrimination for all applicants and participants of benefits and services provided county welfare departments and funded by CDSS. We ensure compliance with state and federal laws and regulations, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Our activities include helping applicants/participants file discrimination complaints, reviewing county-conducted discrimination complaint investigations, conducting county compliance reviews, giving training and technical assistance to county civil rights staff, and ongoing monitoring for state and federal regulatory compliance.
This website provides county welfare departments and the public with immediate access to information for filing civil rights complaints and researching underlying laws and regulations that promote equitable and effective delivery of benefits and services.
Our Mission
The mission of the Civil Rights Section is to promote anti-discrimination policies and practices so that all CDSS-funded and county-administered programs deliver benefits and services equitably.
We conduct compliance reviews and oversee complaints involving these county welfare department programs to ensure compliance with state and federal civil rights laws.
We support counties and provide them with resources, as they serve vulnerable Californians and strive to remove barriers to equal access and participation.
How we assist program applicants and participants
We provide information about your rights to applicants and participants of CDSS-funded, county-administered programs.
We also assist applicants and participants of CDSS-funded, county-administered programs with filing civil rights complaints about programs including but not limited to: CalFresh, CalWORKs, CAPI, Child Protective Services, Child Welfare Services, IHSS, Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA)/Entrant Cash Assistance (ECA), Trafficking Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP), and some housing/homelessness programs.
Your Rights
County welfare departments must comply with state and federal, and may not discriminate, exclude, or provide you aid, benefits or other services that is different from what is provided to others. All people and organizations providing public assistance must respect your rights.
You have the right to file a complaint if you believe your civil rights were violated. Read more information about how to file a discrimination or retaliation complaint.
For more information on your rights, see the “Your Rights Under California Public Benefits Programs” (PUB 13) pamphlet.
About Discrimination and Retaliation
What is discrimination?
Discrimination is when someone treats you differently because of a characteristic that is protected by state and federal laws.
State and federal law prohibit discrimination on the following protected characteristic (also called protected basis, class, or category): race, color, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, sex, political affiliation, domestic partnership, ethnic group identification, disability, medical condition, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, citizenship, primary language, immigration status, or any other applicable basis. Not all bases apply to all programs.
Your county welfare department cannot treat you differently based on these protected characteristics.
It is also prohibited to be treated differently because you know someone or are associated with someone that has a protected characteristic or is part of a protected class. This is called discrimination by association.
It is also prohibited to be treated differently because you are perceived to have a protected characteristic, even if you do not. This is called discrimination based on perception.
Examples of discrimination
An example of disability discrimination is when a county welfare department does not provide a reasonable accommodation for a person with a disability, or ignores their request for a reasonable accommodation. This may include not providing a screen reader to a person who has low vision or is blind; or not providing an extra time and assistance with forms for a person with a cognitive disability.
An example of national origin discrimination (or primary language discrimination) is when a county welfare department fails to provide a free interpreter to a person with limited English proficiency.
An example of race discrimination is making a disparaging remark about members of a certain racial group.
An example of gender identity discrimination is when a county welfare department continually mischaracterizes a person’s gender identity, after the individual told the county their gender identity.
What is Retaliation?
Retaliation is when a negative action is taken against you because you participated in a legally protected activity, like making a complaint or requesting a state hearing.
An example of retaliation is if the county welfare department delayed approving benefits because you filed a complaint about your eligibility worker.