Description

Introduction: The following information is provided as interim procedures, pending further guidance, for the administrative processing of complaints of noncompliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, filed with the General Services Administration.

Background: As background, Sections 501 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, contain general prohibitions of disability-based discrimination and generally require Federal agencies and departments to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities, including employees and members of the public, upon request. The General Services Administration issued enforcement regulations for Section 504 in March, 1991, which can be found at 41 CFR 105-8.

In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Section 508 of that amendment requires Federal departments and agencies to develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology to ensure that Federal employees and members of the public with disabilities have access to and use of information and data, comparable to that of the employees and members of the public without disabilities-unless it is an undue burden to do so. More information about Section 508 can be found at the Section 508 website.

Complaint Procedures

Section 508 provides that persons with disabilities may file administrative complaints with Federal agencies or file lawsuits in Federal court on or after June 21, 2001. These procedures only apply to complaints that procurements were made in violation of Section 508. Agencies' procedures for handling and resolving Section 508 complaints must be patterned after the complaint procedures established to implement Section 504 for resolving allegations of discrimination in a federally conducted program or activity. Therefore, the General Services Administration will process complaints filed under Section 508 in accordance with procedures established for processing complaints under Section 504.

If you are a General Services Administration employee or applicant for employment who is disabled, and wish to file a complaint of discrimination based on Section 508 with respect to employment with General Services Administration, please see Section 508 Complaints Interim Processing Procedures for Employees or Applicants on this website.

If you are a member of the general public or an employee or applicant for employment with General Services Administration, who is disabled and wish to file a non-employment related complaint that the General Services Administration is in noncompliance with Section 508, please see Section 508 Complaints Interim Processing Procedures for the General Public or Employees on this website.