Right To Sue Notice

The Fair Employment and Housing act (FEHA), at Government Code section 12965, subdivision (b), requires that individuals must exhaust their administrative remedies with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing by filing a complaint and obtaining a "right-to-sue notice" from the Department before filing a lawsuit under the FEHA. DFEH will accept requests for an immediate DFEH "right-to-sue notice" from persons who have decided to proceed in court. Your DFEH complaint must be filed within one year from the last act of discrimination or you may lose your right to file a lawsuit under the FEHA.

The decision to request such an authorization is a critical one. If you choose to request a "right-to-sue notice" now, the Department will not investigate your complaint. Obtaining a "right-to-sue" and waiving the Department’s investigation is only advisable if you have been instructed to do so by an attorney. If you have decided to request a "right-to-sue notice" at this time, you may proceed to obtain a Right-to-Sue Notice using the automated system.  Or, request a right to sue notice by mail by downloading the Instructions and Packet using the links below.

DFEH-200-01 Instructions - Paper Form
DFEH-300-03 Packet - Paper Form  

• If you choose the paper form, the form must be completed and mailed back to the address on the form or the office closest to you.
• If you use the automated system form the instructions are included and you will receive an Right-to-Sue letter at the end of the session.

If you wish to have the Department investigate your complaint instead of requesting a "right-to-sue notice", please contact us.  

AMEND A COMPLAINT

Once you have completed the entire process and a case number has been issued, any amendments or modifications to your complaint(s) must be made directly through DFEH.  Please follow the steps below to amend or modify your complaint:

1. Make a copy of the complaint.
2. Make the changes on the complaint.
3. Sign and date the complaint at the bottom on the left side by the filing date.

Email the modified complaint to contact.center@dfeh.ca.gov .  In your email, please indicate the changes that are being made to the complaint.  Once your amendments or modifications have been processed, the office will forward you a copy of the modified complaint within 10 business days.

You may also mail your request to the office where the complaint was filed.  Please allow additional time if you submit a request by mail.  To find out where your complaint was filed, please reference the assigned a case number in the upper right corner of the complaint.  Please refer to the 8th digit (alpha character) to obtain the district office to mail the modified complaint to.  For example, the case number “E201112C51111” would reference the Fresno office.  Please mail your request to the assigned office.