§ 90.43 - What specific responsibilities do agencies and recipients have to ensure compliance with the Act?

§ 90.43 What specific responsibilities do agencies and recipients have to ensure compliance with the Act?

(a) Written notice, technical assistance, and educational materials. Each agency shall:

(1) Provide written notice to each recipient of its obligations under the Act. The notice shall include a requirement that where the recipient initially receiving funds makes the funds available to a sub-recipient, the recipient must notify the sub-recipient of its obligations under the Act.

(2) Provide technical assistance, where necessary, to recipients to aid them in complying with the Act.

(3) Make available educational materials setting forth the rights and obligations of beneficiaries and recipients under the Act.

(b) Self-evaluation.

(1) Each agency shall require each recipient employing the equivalent of 15 or more full time employees to complete a written self-evaluation of its compliance under the Act within 18 months of the effective date of the agency regulations.

(2) Each recipient's self-evaluation shall identify and justify each age distinction imposed by the recipient.

(3) Each recipient shall take corrective and remedial action whenever a self-evaluation indicates a violation of the Act.

(4) Each recipient shall make the self-evaluation available on request to the agency and to the public for a period of 3 years following its completion.

(c) Complaints -

(1) Receipt of complaints. Each agency shall establish a complaint processing procedure which includes the following:

(i) A procedure for the filing of complaints with the agency;

(ii) A review of complaints to assure that they fall within the coverage of the Act and contain all information necessary for further processing;

(iii) Notice to the complainant and the recipient of their rights and obligations under the complaint procedure, including the right to have a representative at all stages of the complaint procedure; and

(iv) Notice to the complainant and the recipient (or their representatives) of their right to contact the agency for information and assistance regarding the complaint resolution process.

(2) Prompt resolution of complaints. Each agency shall establish procedures for the prompt resolution of complaints. These procedures shall require each recipient and complainant to participate actively in efforts toward speedy resolution of the complaint.

(3) Mediation of complaints. Each agency shall promptly refer all complaints which fall within the coverage of the Act to a mediation agency designated by the Secretary.

(i) The referring agency shall require the participation of the recipient and the complainant in the mediation process, although both parties need not meet with the mediator at the same time.

(ii) If the complainant and recipient reach a mutually satisfactory resolution of the complaint during the mediation period, they shall reduce the agreement to writing. The mediator shall send a copy of the settlement to the referring agency. No further action shall be taken based on that complaint unless it appears that the complainant or the recipient is failing to comply with the agreement.

(iii) Not more than 60 days after the agency receives the complaint, the mediator shall return a still unresolved complaint to the referring agency for initial investigation. The mediator may return a complaint at any time before the end of the 60 day period if it appears that the complaint cannot be resolved through mediation.

(iv) The mediator shall protect the confidentiality of all information obtained in the course of the mediation process. No mediator shall testify in any adjudicative proceeding, produce any document, or otherwise disclose any information obtained in the course of the mediation process without prior approval of the head of the agency appointing the mediator.

(4) Federal initial investigation. Each agency shall investigate complaints unresolved after mediation or reopened because of a violation of the mediation agreement. As part of the initial investigation, the agency shall use informal fact finding methods including joint or individual discussions with the complainant and the recipient to establish the facts, and, if possible, resolve the complaint to the mutual satisfaction of the parties. The agency may seek the assistance of any involved State agency.

(5) Formal investigation, conciliation, and hearing. If the agency cannot resolve the complaint during the early stages of the investigation, it shall:

(i) Complete the investigation of the complaint.

(ii) Attempt to achieve voluntary compliance satisfactory to the agency, if the investigation indicates a violation.

(iii) Arrange for enforcement as described in § 90.47, if necessary.

[44 FR 33776, June 12, 1979, as amended at 70 FR 24322, May 9, 2005]