Title VI

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects individuals, groups and organizations from discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin in all programs and activities. In addition, laws prohibit discrimination on other grounds, such as religion, sex, age, and disability. Based on the above criteria, the SDDOT program is referred to as the Title VI and Nondiscrimination Program.

The policy of the SDDOT is to ensure that no person or group of persons shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability or other statutorily prescribed basis, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity administered by the Department.

To ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Secretary of the Department, has designated June Hansen as the department's ADA Coordinator. Contact information is as follows:

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The South Dakota Department of Transportation provides services without regard to race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age or disability, according to the provisions contained in SDCL 20-13, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 and Executive Order 12898, Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations, 1994.

To request additional information on the DOT's Title VI/Nondiscrimination policy or to file a discrimination complaint, please contact the Department's Civil Rights Office at 605-773-3540.

The Title VI/Nondiscrimination Complaint Procedure was updated in November 2019.

Anyone who wishes to file a complaint may also submit the following complaint form:
Title VI/Nondiscrimination Complaint Form

Information on complainant rights is found in:
Title VI/Nondiscrimination Complainant Rights

The South Dakota Department of Transportation provides services without regard to race, color, gender, national origin (including individuals with limited English proficiency), age, disability and low-income, according to the provisions contained in SDCL 20-13; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Federal Highway Administration Act of 1973; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended; The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended; Executive Order 13166, Limited English Proficiency; and Executive Order 12898, Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations, 1994.

To request additional information on the DOT's Title VI/Nondiscrimination policy or to file a discrimination complaint, please contact the Department's Civil Rights Office at 605-773-3540.

Promoting a hostile work environment is covered by Title VI. If an employee feels they are being harassed or discriminated against due to sex, race, disability, etc., the workplace may be deemed as a hostile work environment. Things like jokes and slang may seem minor to the employee, while another employee may find them offensive, therefore creating a hostile work environment.

All calls on discrimination or harassment should be directed to June Hansen at the following contact information (Phone is answered 24 hours a day):

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Sub-recipients of the Federal funding are required to ensure compliance with Title VI. The following is information is to assist sub-recipients with the Title VI requirements to ensure compliance.

• Title VI - Pre-Award Checklist
• Title VI Transit Compliance Review Report
• Title VI - Annual or Post-Award Compliance Report
• Title VI - Program Template
• Title VI - Sub-Recipient Step-By-Step Instructions
• Title VI Public Participation Template

Training on Title VI and other non-discrimination requirements or for technical assistance with Title VI requirements contact June Hansen the following contact information:

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The following is additional information that is specific to Transit funding and requirements for sub-recipients receiving funding through the Federal Transit Administration:

• FTA/SDDOT Title VI Overview Power Point Presentation
• Title VI Circular Requirements (excerpts from Circular)
• LEP Handbook

Examples of Title VI Complaint Logs, Complaint Procedures & Complaint Forms:

• Complaint Form
• Examples of Notice of Public Rights
• FTA Complaint Procedure
• FTA Example of Complaint Form
• Nondiscrimination Complaint Procedure-Boilerplate for Subs 2012 update
• Title VI Complaint Logs (Example for Sub)
• Title VI - Complaint Logs (FTA Example for Sub)

In accordance with EEO circular 4704.1A each recipient, subrecipient and contractor who meets both of the following threshold requirements must implement all of the EEO Program Elements:

• Employees 100 or more transit-related employees, and
• Requests or receives capital or operating assistance in excess of $1 million in the previous Federal fiscal year, or requests or receives planning assistance in excess of $250,000 in the previous Federal fiscal year.

Agencies that have between 50-99 transit-related employees are required to prepare and maintain an EEO Program that includes the statement policy, dissemination plan, designation of personnel, assessment of employment practices and a monitoring and reporting system.

SDDOT requires an EEO Program be submitted every three years, as part of your Title VI review. To assist any recipient that needs to develop a EEO program, there is a:

• EEO Program Checklist 100 or more employees
• EEO Program Checklist (Abbreviated) 50-99 Employees
• EEO Program Template (Abbreviated) 50-99 Employees

More information can be found at:
FTA.DOT.GOV →

This executive order is designed to ensure meaningful participation in Federal and federally assisted programs and activities by individuals with limited English proficiency. When federal-aid is involved, there is to be an effort to reduce the language barrier by providing information or services in other languages. This can be done through various methods including bilingual printed materials or by use of an interpreter.

The EEO is the Law Poster is now available in Spanish for those contractors and subcontractors with Spanish Speaking employees. As new EEO and Labor Compliance posters are translated into Spanish they will be made available for the use by the Area Offices. Any contractor who has need of EEO or Labor Compliance posters or information in a language other than English should contact the Area Office or the Civil Rights Office at:

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