Human Rights & Equity

Anyone who believes that he/she has experienced discrimination in Howard County in the areas of Employment, Housing, Public Accommodation, Law Enforcement or Finance and you are covered by one or more of the following 16 protected basis:

Race
Religion
Creed
Marital Status
Familial Status
Sex
Age
Sexual Orientation
Personal Appearance
Source of Income
Color
National Origin
Physical or Mental Disability
Occupation
Gender Identity

You do not need to be a resident of Howard County. 

You must file your complaint with the Office of Human Rights at 9820 Patuxent Woods Drive, Suite 237, Columbia, MD 21046. Please call OHRE at 410-313-6430 for specific information. Our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

A complaint must be filed within 6 months of the alleged discrimination, except housing complaints must be filed within 1 year of the discriminatory behavior.

No, if the complaint is cross-jurisdictional with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), OHRE will cross-file the complaint with EEOC. You should not file separately with both.  Call OHRE with any questions.

You do not need a lawyer to go through this process, but you may elect to obtain one at any time. OHRE does not provide lawyers for parties to a complaint.

All complaints are investigated unless the Administrator finds lack of jurisdiction or no merit to the complaint. The Respondent is notified of the investigation and the investigation is initiated. Once your case is filed, you will be assigned to an investigator. You can contact your investigator at any time during the investigation in order to check on the status of your case.  Also see Case Processing & Services page.

OHRE will not represent you. OHRE will conduct an impartial investigation of complaints filed with the agency.

There is a law that prohibits retaliation for filing a complaint or participating in a protected act (such as being a witness in a human rights investigation). However, your employer is permitted to supervise and evaluate and, yes, even terminate you for legitimate business reasons. This is a question which you should discuss with a staff member of OHRE as each situation is unique.

There are laws which protect persons with disabilities. However, each situation is unique and needs to be accessed.  An investigator can discuss weather a complaint can be filed.

That depends on the particular circumstances which are occurring. Eviction is a legal process that is governed by State laws. OHR does not handle landlord/tenant issues. OHRE can take complaints that have to do with housing discrimination. Baltimore Neighborhoods Inc. has a landlord/tenant line that can answer those questions (410-243-6007). Also, the Howard County Office of Consumer Protection handles landlord/tenant questions; call 410-313-6420.

OHRE can only take complaints that occur in Howard County regardless of where the complainant may live.

Yes, you will have the right to go to the circuit court for the county in which the alleged discrimination took place not later than two (2) years after the occurrence of the alleged discriminatory act and 45 days after filing the complaint. You may have other rights that OHRE staff will explain to you when you call or come into the office.

OHRE will provide interpreters for any language if you need one. If you call the office, just let someone know you need an interpreter, and OHRE will contact an interpreter by phone to assist you with filing a complaint. OHRE has staff members that speak Spanish.

"Black Transmen Inc. sponsors a new black trans equality movement, that includes the power and admiration of black transmen living life in spite of societal and/or traditional expectations of gender identity. We affirm and celebrate the beauty, strength and uniqueness of the transmasculine community."

"Blaq Equity Baltimore envisions a society where all Black LGBTQ people thrive and feel safe, supported, and whole.   Our mission is to foster a sense of belonging and connectedness among the Black LGBTQ community in the Baltimore metropolitan area and increase our capacity to be mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, sexually, and economically healthy. We strive to create programs that educate, empower, and uplift our diverse community."

"The Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) assists both tenants and landlords in Howard County who have questions or problems involving rental housing, including:

• Providing information on Maryland laws that govern lease provisions, security deposits, and evictions;
• Handling disputes where a tenant believes a landlord has violated landlord-tenant laws. OCP helps tenants understand their rights, try to resolve the dispute through mediation and, take action to address unfair or deceptive practices;
• Assisting landlords and prospective landlords to comply with landlord-tenant laws and be successful in their rental businesses."

"The Office of Disability Services strives to promote the self-sufficiency and well-being of people with disabilities through information, referral, advocacy and education."

"At HopeWorks our mission is to support and advocate for people in Howard County affected by sexual and intimate partner violence and to engage the community in creating the change required for violence prevention."

"Luminus empowers New Americans by offering legal, social, and language services to help them achieve their goals. We also seek systematic changes that will better the lives of all immigrants."

"It is the mission of the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights to ensure opportunity for all through the enforcement of Maryland’s laws against discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and state contracts; to provide educational outreach services related to provisions of this law; and to promote and improve civil rights in Maryland.

Our vision is to have a State that is free from any trace of unlawful discrimination."

"The Mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination."

"PFLAG acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity.  We promote the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, as well as their families and friends."

"The Pride Center of Maryland offers over 30 programs and services that reflect our dedication to ensuring Maryland’s sexual and gender minority community have equal access to care, services, and a space where they can be their authentic selves. Each year, we serve thousands of Maryland residents in order to fulfill our commitment of uniting, empowering, and advocating on behalf of sexual and gender minorities of Baltimore and Central Maryland."

"Somos Familia was founded by two moms from the East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area) with Latino gay and bisexual sons in 2007 to reach out to other families. With a group of volunteers and staff of different generations, we established the following mission and vision:
Somos Familia builds leadership in our Latinx families and communities to create a culture where people of diverse genders and sexual orientations can thrive..."

"Our mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities by providing community recreational and leisure opportunities and promoting lifelong skills.  

We provide accommodations and supports for inclusion of individuals with disabilities and medical or health conditions into programs offered by Howard County Recreation & Parks.  These supports and accommodations include but are not limited to sign language interpreters, adaptive equipment, specialized training for staff, and increasing the staff to participant ratio."

"Hope for young LGBTQ lives starts here.  We believe LGBTQ young people deserve a welcoming, loving world. And we wake up every day dedicated to making that a reality."

"The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, transgender status, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information."

"The Department of Housing and Urban Development is the Federal agency responsible for national policy and programs that address America's housing needs, that improve and develop the Nation's communities, and enforce fair housing laws. HUD's business is helping create a decent home and suitable living environment for all Americans..."

"The Women’s Giving Circle is building a community of philanthropists and creating a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County."