Nondiscrimination Statement | Solutions Center

Effective November 2, 2026 · Last reviewed November 2, 2026 · Applies to every participant, applicant, visitor, employer partner, volunteer and staff member of Solutions Center

1. Our statement

SolutionsAe, Inc. operates Solutions Center, an employment and job placement program, under contract with the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS). It is our policy, and our promise, that no person will be excluded from taking part in Solutions Center, denied its benefits, or treated unfairly in any of our services, programs, activities or employment, because of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion or creed, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, citizenship or immigration status where the law protects it, limited English proficiency, or any other characteristic protected by federal or Georgia law.

We also promise to treat everyone with dignity. People come to Solutions Center in hard moments. Many of them have been told no many times before they got to us. Our job is to help you go forward. We hold ourselves to that, and we want you to hold us to it.

This statement explains who is protected, what the law requires, what we do, what you can do when you think that you were treated unfairly, and where else you can go. It lists the main federal and Georgia laws that apply. We have written it in plain language, and we have made it long on purpose, because a short statement cannot tell you what you need to know. If anything is unclear, ask us. Staff will explain it in person, by phone, in large print, or in your own language.

This statement is not a substitute for the law. The law gives you rights whether or not we mention them here. If the law gives you more protection than this statement does, the law controls.

2. Who is protected and what is covered

Who is protected. This statement protects:

Participants, and people who are applying to take part or who ask us for information;
People who visit our offices, attend our classes or events, or use our website or telephone help line;
Family members, friends and others who come with a participant or act for one;
Employers, training partners and volunteers who work with Solutions Center;
Our own employees and people who apply to work for us.

What is covered. It covers everything that we do. That includes:

Outreach, registration and eligibility checks;
Assessment, Career Plan and coaching;
Referrals to jobs, employers, training and other services;
Classes, workshops, tests and certificates;
Recording of hours and attendance, and our reports to DFCS;
Communications, notices, forms and our website;
Our buildings, rooms, equipment and transportation help;
Hiring, pay, promotion, discipline and all other terms of employment at SolutionsAe.

3. The protected characteristics

"Protected characteristics" are the things about a person that the law says cannot be used to treat them worse. Different laws protect different things. Together, the laws that apply to our work protect the following, and we apply all of them to all of our services.

Race and color, including traits historically linked to race such as hair texture and protective hairstyles
National origin and ancestry, including a person's accent, the place they or their family come from, and whether or not they speak English well
Religion or creed, including having no religion, and religious dress and practice
Sex, including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, sexual orientation and gender identity
Age
Disability, including physical, sensory, intellectual, learning and mental health disabilities, chronic illness, a history of a disability, and being thought to have one
Genetic information, including family medical history
Military and veteran status
Citizenship status and immigration status, as far as the law protects against discrimination on these grounds
Limited English proficiency, as a part of national origin discrimination law
Political belief or affiliation, as far as it applies to the federally funded programs we take part in
Association with a person in any of these groups, and retaliation for asserting one's rights

Beyond what the law protects, our rule is simple: we treat people according to their needs and goals, and not by guesses about their background. Where we serve people who receive public assistance, we also do not treat anyone worse because they receive it, or because of their income, housing situation, family situation, history of homelessness, or the length of time they have been out of work.

4. What we do not do

Discrimination means treating someone worse because of a protected characteristic. It can be done on purpose or not. It can be obvious or hidden. Under this statement, we do not do any of the following because of a protected characteristic:

Deny a person a service, benefit, class, referral, appointment or opportunity.
Give a person a service or benefit that is worse, slower, or less complete than others get.
Treat a person differently in determining whether they are eligible, or in how they are assessed, placed or scheduled.
Steer a person toward, or away from, certain careers, classes, employers or neighborhoods based on a stereotype, such as a belief that women should not work in construction, that older people cannot learn technology, or that people of a certain background want certain jobs.
Segregate or separate people, or give separate treatment, in any part of our services.
Use a rule, test, form or practice that looks neutral but in practice harms people in a protected group, and is not truly needed to do the work or run the program. (This is called "disparate impact." We review our rules and tests with this in mind.)
Refuse to make a reasonable change for a person with a disability or to provide effective communication (see section 9).
Refuse to give language help to a person who needs it (see section 10).
Say or write things that show a preference, limit or bias in our ads, notices, or in the way we talk about job openings.
Harass a person, or let others harass a person in our programs, as explained in section 17.
Punish or take revenge on a person because they spoke up, asked for their rights, helped someone else, or filed a complaint (see section 18).
Pass along to employers, or anyone else, information about a person's protected characteristics, except as that person has asked us to or the law requires.

5. Federal laws that protect you

The federal laws below protect against discrimination in programs like Solutions Center. Some of them apply to us directly. Others apply to DFCS, to state agencies, or to the programs that receive federal money, and they reach us through our contract. We follow all of them.

Civil rights laws for programs and services

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq. No person may be excluded from, denied the benefits of, or discriminated against in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance on the ground of race, color or national origin. This includes meaningful access for people with limited English proficiency.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794 (with regulations at 45 C.F.R. Part 84 for programs of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). No qualified person may, on the basis of disability, be excluded from or denied the benefits of a program that receives federal financial assistance.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended (ADA), 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. Title II (42 U.S.C. §§ 12131 to 12134, with regulations at 28 C.F.R. Part 35, including the effective communication rule at 28 C.F.R. § 35.160) bars disability discrimination in the services, programs and activities of state and local governments and the organizations that carry them out. Title III (42 U.S.C. § 12181 et seq., 28 C.F.R. Part 36) covers businesses and service providers open to the public. Title I (42 U.S.C. § 12111 et seq.) covers employment.
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. § 794d, and 36 C.F.R. Part 1194, which set standards for accessible information technology that federal agencies use. We use these as a guide for our website.
The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, 42 U.S.C. § 6101 et seq. No person may be excluded from or discriminated against in programs that receive federal financial assistance on the basis of age.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq. No person may be excluded from or discriminated against in an education program or activity that receives federal financial assistance on the basis of sex, including pregnancy and, as the law is applied, sexual orientation and gender identity to the extent applicable. This applies to our classes and training to the extent that they are education programs of this kind.
Section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), 29 U.S.C. § 3248, and its regulations at 29 C.F.R. Part 38. To the extent that our work is funded in whole or in part under the Act, no person may be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, and gender identity), national origin (including limited English proficiency), age, disability, political affiliation or belief, or, for participants, citizenship status or participation in a WIOA-funded program. The rules also require that equal opportunity notices be given and complaint procedures be available.
The Food and Nutrition Act, 7 U.S.C. § 2020(c), and 7 C.F.R. § 272.6. For programs connected with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), including employment and training programs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion and political beliefs, to the extent that SNAP rules apply to services we provide.

Civil rights laws for employment

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. Bars employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity) and national origin, and bars retaliation.
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e(k), and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000gg et seq., which require equal treatment of pregnancy and related conditions, and reasonable accommodations for known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth or related conditions.
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act, 29 U.S.C. § 621 et seq. Protects workers and job applicants who are 40 years old or older.
The Equal Pay Act, 29 U.S.C. § 206(d). Requires equal pay for equal work regardless of sex.
Title I of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. § 12111 et seq., and Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. § 791. Protect qualified people with disabilities in hiring and employment, and require reasonable accommodations.
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000ff et seq. Bars use of genetic information, including family medical history, in employment decisions.
The Immigration and Nationality Act, § 274B, 8 U.S.C. § 1324b. Bars discrimination in hiring, firing and recruiting on the basis of citizenship status or national origin, and bars document abuse in verifying work eligibility.
The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), 38 U.S.C. § 4301 et seq. Protects people who serve or have served in the uniformed services from discrimination in employment.

The agencies that enforce these laws include the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, the U.S. Department of Labor Civil Rights Center, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Section 21 tells you how to reach them.

A note on current federal guidance. Federal policy and agency guidance change over time, including how the agencies apply the laws to particular groups. The statutes listed here do not change unless Congress changes them, and our promise to treat people fairly does not depend on any one agency's current guidance. We update this statement when the law changes in ways that affect you.

6. Georgia laws that protect you

Georgia law adds its own protections. The main ones that affect our programs and our employment practices are these.

The Georgia Fair Employment Practices Act of 1978, O.C.G.A. § 45-19-20 et seq. Bars discrimination in employment by the state of Georgia and its agencies, including state agencies such as DFCS, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or age. It created the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity to receive and resolve complaints.
The Equal Employment for Persons with Disabilities Code, O.C.G.A. § 34-6A-1 et seq. Bars discrimination in employment against qualified people with disabilities, and requires reasonable accommodation in employment, with a limited exception where an accommodation would be an undue hardship.
Georgia's age discrimination in employment law, O.C.G.A. § 34-1-2. Bars discrimination in private employment against people between the ages of 40 and 70 because of age.
Georgia's equal pay and sex discrimination in employment law, O.C.G.A. § 34-5-1 et seq. Bars pay differences based on sex for equal work in jobs requiring equal skill, effort and responsibility.
The Georgia Fair Housing Act, O.C.G.A. § 8-3-200 et seq. Bars discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status or national origin. This applies to us only when we help participants with housing, but we tell participants about it because housing is one of the barriers they tell us about.
Georgia's laws on public accommodations and on the use of service animals and white cane rights, which protect the right of people with disabilities to use public places with a service animal or a mobility aid. (Georgia's service-animal rules are in Title 30 of the Official Code of Georgia.)

The Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity (GCEO) is the state agency that enforces many of these laws. Its website is gceo.georgia.gov. It can take complaints and gives information on how to file them.

Georgia state law protects fewer groups than federal law in some areas. For example, Georgia has no general statute that bars sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination in private employment. In those areas, federal law and our own policy apply, and we protect those characteristics fully. Where Georgia law and federal law differ, we follow the one that gives you more protection.

The citations in this section and in section 5 are given so that you can look them up. They may have been amended since this statement was last reviewed. If you need to rely on a particular law, please check its current text, or ask an agency or a lawyer.

7. Our funding and our contract with DFCS

Solutions Center is paid for under a contract with the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services. Money for DFCS programs can come from the state of Georgia and from federal funds, which may include funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (for programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (for programs such as SNAP employment and training). When a program is paid for in whole or part with federal funds, the federal civil rights laws listed above apply, and the organization that runs it must follow them.

Our contract with DFCS requires us to follow civil rights law and DFCS nondiscrimination policy, and to give you the right to complain to DFCS. You can raise a concern with DFCS at any time, whether or not you first raise it with us. The DFCS website is dfcs.georgia.gov. Your DFCS case manager can also help you.

Equal opportunity notice. The federal agencies that fund programs like ours have official notices that tell people about their rights. Where a law requires a particular notice, we post it in our offices and give it on request. The notice is in line with this statement.

Federal agency statement. In keeping with the policy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the rules of the programs it funds, in programs that it funds, discrimination is prohibited based on race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. People with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information, such as braille, large print, audiotape or American Sign Language, should contact the agency that administers the program, or the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY), or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. To file a program discrimination complaint with USDA, people can complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, available at usda.gov/oascr, or write a letter to USDA containing all the information requested in the form. This language describes the USDA policy as we understand it. For the current official wording, see usda.gov/oascr.

8. Equal access to services

Equal treatment means that the same standards apply to everybody. These are some of the ways we put it into practice.

Same rules for registration. Everyone referred by DFCS registers the same way. We do not ask about race, religion, immigration status or other protected matters in order to register. Where we ask for information, such as date of birth, it is to match you to your DFCS referral and for reporting, and not to judge you.
Same quality of coaching. Every participant gets the same attention and the same chance at classes, referrals and job leads. Coaches do not decide what a person can do because of what the person looks like, how the person speaks, how old they are, or what they have been through.
Same access to classes. Class seats are open to everyone who is eligible, on the same basis. We do not hold seats for some groups unless the law or a funder specifically requires a targeted program, and in that case we explain it.
Fair scheduling. We offer times, places and ways of attending that work for people with different needs, including those with disabilities, caregiving duties, religious observances, or without a car.
Fair time records. Every participant's hours are recorded by the same rule. The website records time on the same basis for everybody, Monday 7:00 AM to Friday 7:00 PM Eastern. If the rule does not work for a person because of a disability or another protected reason, we adjust it, as the next sections explain.
Accessible places. Our offices are chosen and run so that people with disabilities can use them. We explain how to ask for help in our Accessibility Policy.
Safe places. Everyone has the right to feel safe in our offices and classes. We do not tolerate threats, slurs or harassment.
Privacy. We protect what you tell us about your background, your health, your family, or your past, as our Privacy Policy explains.

9. People with disabilities

We make reasonable accommodations, and reasonable modifications of our rules and practices, so that people with disabilities can take part. We provide auxiliary aids and services for effective communication at no charge. We do not make you prove a disability unless it is not obvious and we need proof to decide on an accommodation, and then we tell you exactly what we need and why. We keep disability information confidential and separate from other records. We do not charge extra fees for accommodations.

We do not treat a person worse because they have a disability, because they have used an accommodation, or because we believe they have a disability. We do not make decisions based on assumptions about what a person with a disability can or cannot do. A job coach will not tell a person that a job is "not suitable" because of a disability. We help the person find the right job and the right workplace accommodations. Where a person asks for our help to speak to an employer about an accommodation, we will help.

Disability includes mental health conditions, learning disabilities, recovery from substance use disorder (as the ADA protects it), long-term illnesses, and conditions that come and go. You are not required to use the word "disability." You can say what you need.

Our Accessibility Policy gives full details on how to ask for an accommodation, how the website works with assistive technology, and how to complain.

10. People who speak other languages

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act requires that people who have limited English proficiency have meaningful access to services in programs that receive federal funds. We follow this rule.

Tell any staff member, in any way you can, that you need help in a language other than English. We will find an interpreter, by phone or in person, at no cost to you.
We translate or read aloud important documents on request, such as notices, forms and your Career Plan.
We do not ask you to bring your own interpreter, and we do not ask your child to interpret. You may choose to bring a trusted adult, and we will still offer our own interpreter.
We never treat limited English as a lack of ability or a lack of motivation. We never assume a person cannot work or learn because they are still learning English.
We help people find English classes and job opportunities that match their skills and the language they speak.

The Solutions Center website is currently available in English only. We are open about that limit. Language help is available in person and by telephone at (888) 562-4441.

Si usted necesita ayuda en español u otro idioma, llame al (888) 562-4441 o visite una de nuestras oficinas. No tiene ningún costo. No se le tratará de forma diferente por pedir ayuda con el idioma. Si usted cree que ha sido tratado de forma injusta por su raza, color, origen nacional, sexo, edad, discapacidad, religión u otro motivo protegido, puede presentar una queja con nosotros o con las agencias que se indican en esta declaración.

11. Religion and conscience

We respect each person's religion, or lack of religion. We do not require anybody to take part in religious activity, or to say what they believe, to use our services. We do not favor or disfavor any religion in how we serve people. We do not ask about religion unless a person tells us about it in order to ask for help.

Where a participant's religious practice affects scheduling, dress, grooming, or the kind of work they can accept, we will help find a way that works, and we help participants understand their right to ask employers for religious accommodation under Title VII. We do not steer anyone away from jobs, or toward them, because of religion.

Where Solutions Center partners with an organization with a religious affiliation, for example, for a class or a place to meet, services are provided to all eligible participants on the same terms, with no religious requirement, and participation in any religious activity is voluntary and separate from the program.

12. Sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity

We do not treat anyone worse because of sex, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

We use a participant's name and pronouns as the participant tells us. We do not require anyone to give a reason or to carry documents to be addressed correctly.
We do not steer people toward or away from jobs or classes based on sex. Women, men and nonbinary participants all get the same access to training for jobs in any field, including trades, technology, health care, driving, warehousing, office work and anywhere else.
We do not use pregnancy, plans for a family, or being a parent as a reason to limit services or to doubt a person's commitment. We help pregnant participants and new parents to find work and to understand their rights to reasonable accommodations at work.
We treat information about sexual orientation and gender identity as confidential. We do not tell employers, family members or others unless the participant asks us to.
We take reports of sexual harassment, stalking and abuse seriously. We will help a participant find safety and support, and we can adjust appointments, meeting places, and contacts when safety is a concern.

13. Age

We do not treat people differently because they are young or old, except where the law or the program rules set a minimum age. We encourage older workers, who have skills and experience, and we help younger participants who are starting out.

Participants age 40 and older have special protection against age discrimination by employers under the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and Georgia law gives additional protection for people from 40 to 70. We help older participants understand these rights and find employers who value their experience. We do not tell any participant that they are "too old" or "too young" for a career or a class.

14. Criminal history, credit and other situations

Many people who come to Solutions Center have a criminal record, a gap in work history, past homelessness, past addiction, past time in the foster care system, or other things that make employers hesitate. These situations are not always covered by civil rights law. However, they can become related to a protected characteristic, as when a hiring rule that excludes anyone with an arrest record falls much more heavily on people of one race. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has long said that blanket exclusions on the basis of arrests or convictions can violate Title VII when they are not job-related and consistent with business necessity.

Our rule is this: we do not turn anyone away or treat them as less deserving because of a record or a past situation. We help you understand your rights, such as how to answer questions about your record and what the law lets employers ask. We also share information on programs that help, such as record restriction. Some Georgia employers use a "ban the box" approach for public jobs, which delays questions about criminal history in the application process, and we explain how that works when it matters for your job search. We encourage employers who partner with us to take a fair look at each applicant.

15. Jobs, employers and job postings

Many of the job openings in Solutions Center come from outside sources, as our Privacy Policy explains. We do not write those postings. But we do care about them.

We do not accept or promote postings that discriminate. We do not list a job from an employer that tells us it will exclude people because of a protected characteristic. If we find a posting that says, for example, "young people only," or "no Spanish speakers," we remove it and tell the source where we can.
We ask employers who partner with us to be equal opportunity employers. We expect them to follow the law in how they hire. If an employer treats one of our participants unfairly, we want to know. We will look into it, and we may stop working with the employer.
Lawful job requirements. Some jobs lawfully require certain things, such as a license, a physical ability that is essential to the job, or a minimum age for safety or legal reasons. These requirements apply to everyone in the same way. We help participants find out whether a requirement is real and whether an accommodation might make it possible to meet it.
Job matching. The site's job matching uses what you tell us about your skills, schooling, experience and the kind of work you want. It does not use your race, sex, age, religion, disability, or other protected facts to decide which jobs it shows you, and it does not hide jobs from you for those reasons.
Help with discrimination at work. If you experience discrimination at a job, or when you apply, tell your job coach. We can explain your rights, help you document what happened, and help you reach the right agency. We cannot act as your lawyer, but we will not leave you alone with it.

16. Computers, matching and artificial intelligence

We use computers to help us serve more people and to save time. We know that computer systems can make unfair patterns worse if they are not watched. Here is how we handle that.

People, not computers, decide who is eligible, who gets a class seat, how hours are credited, and what services a person gets.
The computer assistant that drafts resume and Career Plan text is a writing tool. It sees the details you have entered for the task, and it is not told your race, religion, or other protected characteristics unless you typed them in yourself. Because you can read and change everything that it writes, you stay in control.
The assistant is meant to write about the facts you give it, and not to guess about your background. It can still make mistakes. If you see a draft that is unfair, biased or offensive, tell us. We will treat it as a problem to fix and not as something you did wrong.
We review the way the site's matching and the assistant's suggestions work, and we look at results for patterns that would put some groups at a disadvantage. If we find one, we fix it.
We do not use facial recognition, voice recognition for identification, or any system that tries to guess a person's emotions, health, or character from how they look or sound.

17. Harassment and respectful treatment

Harassment is unwelcome behavior based on a protected characteristic that makes a person feel intimidated, hostile or unwelcome, or that interferes with their taking part in a program or their work. Examples include slurs, jokes about a person's race, religion, accent, disability or sexuality, unwelcome comments about a body, touching, sexual advances, displays of offensive images, mocking someone's name, and threats.

It is not allowed in our offices, classes, online sessions, phone calls, messages, events, or in the workplaces we use for training or placement, whether the behavior comes from a staff member, an instructor, another participant, an employer, or a visitor. This applies to all kinds of contact, including electronic messages and social media when connected to the program.

If it happens to you, tell any staff member, or use the complaint steps in section 20. You do not have to confront the person yourself, and you do not have to be certain that the behavior breaks the law. We will act quickly, protect you from further contact if needed, and investigate. Depending on what we find, the person may be warned, removed from a class or a placement, or have their contract or employment ended.

18. No retaliation

Federal and Georgia law, and our policy, protect people who stand up for their rights. We will not retaliate against anyone, and we will not allow anyone else to, because that person:

Filed or threatened to file a complaint, with us or with an outside agency;
Asked for an accommodation or language help;
Took part in an investigation, hearing or lawsuit, or gave a statement;
Spoke up about discrimination against someone else; or
Refused to take part in something they believed was discriminatory.

Retaliation includes cutting services, changing a class or a schedule without a reason, giving a worse referral, reporting a person negatively to DFCS, making threats, treating the person coldly or with hostility, or giving a worse job reference. If you believe you are being punished for speaking up, tell us at once, or tell one of the agencies in section 21. Retaliation is a violation by itself, even if the original complaint turns out not to be proved.

19. Staff, applicants for staff jobs and volunteers

SolutionsAe is an equal opportunity employer. We make employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, pay, benefits, training, scheduling, promotion, discipline and ending employment, without regard to any protected characteristic. We provide reasonable accommodation to applicants and employees with disabilities, to employees who are pregnant or have related conditions, and for sincerely held religious beliefs and practices, unless the accommodation would be an undue hardship under the law. We follow the federal and Georgia employment laws in sections 5 and 6.

Employees who believe that they have been treated unfairly may use the complaint steps in section 20, speak with a supervisor or a senior leader, or file with the EEOC or the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity. Employees who see discrimination are encouraged to report it, and managers must pass reports on at once. Staff who discriminate, harass or retaliate will be disciplined, up to and including the end of employment.

Staff are not allowed to treat participants differently because of protected characteristics, and they must give equal service to all. Staff are trained on this statement when they are hired and again every year.

20. How to make a complaint with us

If you believe we, or someone connected to our program, treated you unfairly because of a protected characteristic, you have the right to complain. You do not need a lawyer. You do not have to prove it. You do not need to use special words. You are also free to go straight to an outside agency, as section 21 explains, without using our process first. We encourage you to tell us, so that we can fix the problem.

Our Equal Opportunity Officer receives and handles complaints of discrimination. The officer is not involved in the daily coaching of participants, so that there is a clear separation. You can reach the Equal Opportunity Officer, or any staff member who will pass your message on to them, in these ways.

Phone: (888) 562-4441. Ask for the Equal Opportunity Officer. Relay calls are welcome (dial 711).
In person: at either office, 1954 Airport Road, Suite 122, Chamblee, Georgia 30341, or 236 Auburn Avenue NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.
Online: if you are signed in, use Ask for help or report a problem on the Support page, choose "Other," and write "Discrimination complaint" in the subject.
Mail: Equal Opportunity Officer, SolutionsAe, Inc., 1954 Airport Road, Suite 122, Chamblee, Georgia 30341.

What to tell us, if you can: what happened, when and where, who was involved, who saw it, what protected reason you believe was behind it (if you know), and what you would like us to do. If you do not have all the details, tell us what you know. A staff member will write down what you say, if you wish, and read it back to you. We will give you help in your language and in the format you need.

What we do

We confirm. Within five business days we tell you that we have your complaint, and who is handling it.
We separate. The person who looks into the complaint is not someone involved in the events. We take steps to protect you from further harm while it is being reviewed, such as changing a coach or a class if you wish.
We investigate. We speak to you, to the people involved and to witnesses, and we look at the records. We keep it as confidential as we can, and we share information only with those who need to know to do the work properly.
We decide and tell you. We give you a written answer within thirty calendar days, which says what we found, what we decided and what we will do. If we need more time, we tell you why and when to expect an answer.
We fix it. If we find that discrimination or harassment happened, we correct the harm where we can, and we act to stop it from happening again. That can include discipline of the people involved and changes to our practices.
You can ask for a second look. If you disagree with our answer, you can ask a senior leader at SolutionsAe to review it within thirty days. You can also take your complaint to DFCS or an outside agency at any time.

We keep a record of each complaint, what we did, and how it ended. Records are kept as long as the law and our contract with DFCS require. We use them to find patterns and to improve.

21. Where else you can file a complaint

You may file a complaint with any of the following, whether or not you have used our process. They are independent of SolutionsAe. Contact information changes from time to time, so check each agency's website for the current details.

DFCS

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services. Talk to your case manager, or go to dfcs.georgia.gov to find how to file a complaint.

Federal agencies

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (OCR). For discrimination in programs that get HHS funds, such as TANF-related programs: hhs.gov/ocr. You can file online, by mail or by telephone through the contact information on the website.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OASCR). For discrimination in programs that get USDA funds, such as SNAP employment and training: usda.gov/oascr. The USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form is on the website, and it can also be requested by phone through the contact information given there.
U.S. Department of Labor, Civil Rights Center. For discrimination in programs funded under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act: dol.gov. Search for "Civil Rights Center" on the website.
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division. For disability discrimination under the ADA: ada.gov. ADA Information Line: 800-514-0301 (voice) or 800-514-0383 (TTY).
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). For discrimination in employment, including hiring by us or by an employer: eeoc.gov. Telephone: 1-800-669-4000. TTY: 1-800-669-6820. You can start a complaint online at the EEOC's public portal, by telephone, or in person at an EEOC office. The Atlanta District Office serves Georgia.

State of Georgia

Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity (GCEO). For employment discrimination by state agencies, for discrimination on the grounds of disability, and for housing discrimination, as the law provides: gceo.georgia.gov.
Georgia Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division. For unfair business practices and consumer complaints: consumer.georgia.gov.

You may also wish to speak with a lawyer, or with a legal aid organization. In Georgia, organizations such as Georgia Legal Services Program and the Atlanta Legal Aid Society help people with low income. We are not able to give you legal advice, but we will help you find these services.

22. Deadlines

Agencies set time limits for filing. These are approximate and can change, and they differ by agency and by the type of complaint. They are listed here so that you know to act promptly.

EEOC: a charge generally must be filed within 180 days of the discriminatory act. The limit extends to 300 days in places where a state or local agency enforces a law with similar protections, and Georgia's limit is generally 180 days. Check with the EEOC.
HHS OCR, DOJ (ADA), USDA, DOL Civil Rights Center: a complaint is generally due within 180 days of the act. The Department of Labor Civil Rights Center also has a time limit of 180 days for WIOA complaints.
Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity: check its website for the filing time for each type of complaint.
SolutionsAe: we ask that you tell us as soon as you can, since it is easier to fix a problem when it is fresh, but we will review a complaint made at any time and will tell you if we cannot act.

Using our process does not stop an agency's deadline from running. If you are close to a deadline, contact the agency directly first, and tell them the date of the event.

23. Training, monitoring and records

We do these things to keep our promise.

Training. We train all staff and instructors on this statement, on civil rights law, on communicating with people with disabilities, on working with interpreters, on respectful treatment, on preventing harassment, and on avoiding bias, when they start and every year.
Notices. We post the equal opportunity notices that the law requires in our offices, give them on request, and keep this statement on our website.
Monitoring. We look at who uses our services, who takes up classes, and what outcomes people get, using totals and not names. If we see a gap that suggests that some group is being left out or treated worse, we look into why, and we act.
Review of rules and tools. Before we start a new rule, test, form, or computer feature, we ask whether it could treat some people unfairly. We review existing ones on a regular basis.
Contracts with others. We ask partners and service providers to follow equal opportunity rules, and we act if they do not.
Records. We keep records of complaints, accommodations and training as required by law and by our contract, and we protect them as our Privacy Policy describes.
Leadership review. Our leaders review this statement, complaints and results at least once a year, and report what they find to DFCS where our contract requires.

24. Questions and answers

Do I need to tell you my race, religion or other background in order to get services?
No. We do not ask for them in order to register you. If we ask for a protected piece of information, for example, to arrange an accommodation, we will say why, and you may decline unless the law or the program requires it.

Is it discrimination if a job requires a driver's license, or the ability to lift something heavy?
Not necessarily. Employers may require things that are truly part of the job, when the same requirement applies to everyone. But a person with a disability may have a right to a reasonable accommodation, and a rule that has no real connection with the job may be unlawful if it hurts a protected group. Talk to your job coach.

I think an employer did not hire me because of my age, race, religion, disability or sex. What do I do?
Tell your job coach. Write down what happened, with dates and names. You can file with the EEOC or the Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity. Mind the deadlines in section 22.

Will filing a complaint hurt my standing in the program, with DFCS or my benefits?
No. Retaliation is against the law and against our policy. If you think you are being punished, tell us or an agency at once.

Do I have to use your complaint process before going to an agency?
No. You may do either, or both.

Can I make a complaint anonymously?
You can. We will look into what we can. But it is harder to investigate, and we cannot tell you what we found, if we do not know how to reach you.

Can someone else file a complaint for me?
Yes. A relative, friend, advocate or attorney may do so for you, with your permission. They may also file on their own if they saw discrimination happen.

What if my complaint is about a DFCS worker and not about SolutionsAe?
Tell DFCS. You may also tell us, and we will help you find the right place. You can also file with the federal and state agencies in section 21.

Does this statement apply to the people I meet on the job at a place you sent me?
Yes, to the extent that we have a role in the placement, and the employer is also bound by the law. Tell us, and we will take it up with the employer.

Is the website the same for everyone?
Yes. Every participant has the same pages, the same rules and the same time recording. The Accessibility Policy says how to ask for changes that make the website work for you.

Who can I ask if I do not understand something here?
Any staff member. Call (888) 562-4441, or come to an office, and ask. We will explain it in the way that works for you.

25. Words used in this statement

Accommodation: A change in a rule, a practice or a setting that allows a person with a disability, or a person with another protected need such as religion or pregnancy, to take part equally.
Disparate impact: When a rule or practice that looks neutral has a much worse effect on people in a protected group, and is not truly needed. It may be unlawful even though no one meant to discriminate.
Disparate treatment: Treating a person worse on purpose because of a protected characteristic.
Federal financial assistance: Money from the federal government, including grants passed through a state agency, that supports a program.
Harassment: Unwelcome conduct based on a protected characteristic that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.
Limited English proficiency: When a person does not speak, read, write or understand English well enough to deal with a service without help.
Protected characteristic: A trait that the law says may not be used as a reason to treat someone worse, such as race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age or disability.
Reasonable accommodation: A change that does not impose an undue hardship on the organization. "Undue hardship" is a high standard.
Retaliation: Punishing a person for asserting their rights, making a complaint, or helping someone else do so.
Qualified individual: A person who can do the essential parts of a job or take part in a program, with or without a reasonable accommodation.

26. Changes and related policies

We may update this statement as the law, our funding or our services change. When we do, we change the date at the top, and we post a notice on the site if the change matters to participants. We keep earlier versions and give copies on request. If a change would reduce any protection, we will not make it without a clear legal reason and without telling DFCS.

Please read this statement with these:

Accessibility Policy, which explains how the website and our services work for people with disabilities, and how to ask for an accommodation
Privacy Policy, which explains what information we collect, how we protect it, and who can see it

Version history. November 2, 2026: first version of the Nondiscrimination Statement for Solutions Center.

Reminder. This statement is made to inform you of your rights. It is not legal advice. For help with a specific legal question, please speak with a lawyer or one of the agencies above.

Everyone who comes to Solutions Center deserves respect and a real chance. Thank you for helping us keep that promise.

Office	Address	Hours
Chamblee (headquarters)	1954 Airport Road, Suite 122, Chamblee, GA 30341	Mon–Fri 8:30–5:00
Auburn	236 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30303	Mon–Fri 8:30–5:00