Title VI Plans and Annual Reports - Guidelines, Templates and Examples
Title VI and ADA Language for use in public meeting announcements, notices, publications, etc.
Creation of Uniform Data Collection Standards (pdf 68 kb)
Public Involvement Forms (in Word format)
The public involvement form (choose your native language) is used to collect information from anyone attending a meeting (WSDOT employees or local agency).
Title VI Coordinator
360-705-7098
What is Title VI?
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the main legal authority for the department’s External Civil Rights Branch nondiscrimination initiatives. Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin in programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. Related statutes and Presidential Executive Orders under the umbrella of Title VI address Environmental Justice (EJ) in minority and low-income populations, and services to those individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP), women and the disabled.
WSDOT's Title VI Program is responsible for providing leadership, direction and policy to ensure compliance with Title VI and Environmental Justice and Limited English Proficiency principles and to ensure that social impacts to communities and people are recognized and considered throughout the transportation planning and decision-making process.
What does this mean?
WSDOT cannot, on the bases of race, color, national origin or sex, either directly or through contractual means:
- Deny program services, aids or benefits;
- Provide a different service, aid or benefit, or provide them in a manner different than what is provided to others;
- Segregate or separately treat individuals in any matter related to the receipt of any service, aid, or benefit.
Learn more about Title VI
Related Links
Title VI enforcement is conducted through the following activities:
- Conducting internal and external compliance reviews.
- Conducting Title VI Program Implementation training to WSDOT managers and program officers, suppliers, vendors, contractors, local governments and other WSDOT sub-recipients of federal funds.
- Developing Title VI compliance information for internal and external dissemination.
- Processing the disposition of Title VI complaints received by WSDOT.
- Providing technical support to sub-recipients developing their Title VI Program.
- Approving sub-recipients’ Title VI Policy, Assurances and Plan.
Title VI Investigations and Complaint Procedures
The Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) conducts Title VI investigations of alleged discrimination based on race, color, national origin and sex, as it relates to the provision of benefits and services resulting from federally assisted programs and activities. Title VI jurisdiction also covers issues of discrimination in the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), Environmental Justice activities.
An investigation is the process used to determine the facts to support or disprove a complaint or report of an alleged incident. The investigation seeks to gather and report the truth and all the facts.
If an individual believes he or she has been subjected to discrimination or harassment in violation of their civil rights, he or she may file a complaint with OEO.
All investigations are conducted under the guidelines provided in WSDOT’s Title VI Plan. Retaliation will not be tolerated against any person who reports alleged discrimination, harassment or policy violations or participates as witness in an investigation. The investigator will submit an independent and impartial report with respect to the established facts of the case.
WSDOT External Discrimination Complaint Procedures (pdf 256 kb)