The City of Gastonia is committed to ensuring equal access to all of its services, programs, activities, and benefits. In accordance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), this grievance procedure has been established to provide a clear and fair process for individuals to report concerns or complaints related to disability-based discrimination.
Any individual who believes they have been denied access or otherwise discriminated against on the basis of disability may use this procedure to file a formal complaint regarding City services, programs, or activities.
To learn more about the ADA, please visit the official website of the U.S. Department of Justice ADA Information at https://www.ada.gov.
Complaints should be submitted in writing and include relevant details about the alleged discrimination. This should include the complainant’s name, email address, phone number, as well as the location, date, and a clear description of the issue.
To ensure accessibility for all individuals, alternative methods for submitting a complaint—such as personal interviews or audio recordings—will be made available upon request for individuals with disabilities.
Complaints should be submitted by the individual as soon as possible, but no later than 60 calendar days after the alleged incident of discrimination.
Submissions may be made using this online form or by mailing a written complaint to the following address:
Attn: Director of Human Resources
City of Gastonia
PO Box 1748
Gastonia, NC 28053
Process Overview
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Within 14 calendar days of receiving the complaint, the Director of Human Resources or their designee will contact the complainant—either through a meeting or other appropriate means—to discuss the concerns raised and explore possible resolutions.
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Within 14 calendar days after the meeting, the Director of Human Resources or their designee will provide a written response to the complainant. When needed, the response will be made available in an accessible format, such as large print, Braille, or audio. This response will outline the City of Gastonia’s understanding of the complaint and present any proposed options for resolving the matter in a meaningful and equitable way.
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If the complainant is not satisfied with the response from the Director of Human Resources or their designee, they—or their representative—may file an appeal. The appeal must be submitted within 14 calendar days of receiving the written response and directed to the City Manager or their designee.
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Within 14 calendar days of receiving the appeal, the City Manager or their designee will contact the complainant—either through a meeting or another appropriate method—to discuss the appeal and explore potential resolutions
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Within 14 calendar days following the meeting, the City Manager or their designee will provide a written response outlining the final resolution of the complaint. When appropriate, the response will be made available in an accessible format, such as large print, Braille, or audio, to ensure it is fully accessible to the complainant.
Employees who have an ADA-related complaint connected to their employment should refer to the City of Gastonia’s Personnel Policy for guidance.
All written complaints received by the Director of Human Resources or their designee, as well as any appeals to the City Manager or their designee—and the written responses from both offices—will be kept on file by the City of Gastonia for at least three (3) years, or longer if the records are still needed for administrative purposes.
