National Origin Discrimination in DC

National Origin Discrimination in DC: Your Rights Under DC and Federal Law

If you work in Washington, DC, you’re protected from national origin discrimination under both federal law (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act) and the DC Human Rights Act (DCHRA) — and DC’s law reaches further than federal law in several ways.

DC Law Covers Employers of Any Size

Federal law under Title VII applies only to employers with 15 or more employees. The DCHRA is far broader: it applies to DC employers of any size, including very small businesses, independent contractors, and unpaid interns. If you work for a small DC employer not covered by Title VII, you may still have a national origin discrimination claim under DC law.

Don't Overlook Citizenship Status Protections

In addition to the DCHRA and Title VII, federal law offers another option worth knowing about: the Immigration and Nationality Act’s anti-discrimination provision, enforced by the Department of Justice’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) rather than the EEOC. It separately protects citizenship status and covers unfair documentary practices during the Form I-9 or E-Verify process. See our general national origin discrimination page for a full breakdown of how this federal law compares to the DCHRA and Title VII.

How Long Do You Have to File a Claim in DC?

  • Administrative complaint with the DC Office of Human Rights (OHR): within one year of the discriminatory act or its discovery.
  • Filing directly in court: two years, following the 2024 Fairness in Human Rights Administration Amendment Act’s extension of this deadline.
  • Federal Title VII claims generally require filing an EEOC charge within 180–300 days before you can sue, and DC complaints filed with OHR are typically cross-filed with the EEOC automatically.
  • Unlike federal claims, DC law does not require you to exhaust the OHR process before going directly to court.

What Counts as National Origin Discrimination in DC?

National origin discrimination can include:
  • Refusal to hire, promote, or fairly compensate someone because of their national origin, ancestry, or accent
  • English-only workplace rules that aren’t justified by business necessity
  • Harassment based on national origin or ethnicity
  • Retaliation against an employee who reports national origin discrimination

What Compensation Can You Recover?

Workers who successfully bring a national origin discrimination claim in DC may be entitled to:
  • Back pay and front pay
  • Reinstatement or a comparable position
  • Compensatory damages, including for emotional distress
  • Punitive damages, where the employer acted with actual malice or ill intent
  • Attorney’s fees and costs
A key DC advantage: unlike Title VII, which caps combined compensatory and punitive damages at $50,000–$300,000 depending on employer size, the DCHRA imposes no cap — the court can award whatever amount it finds appropriate to the case.

Talk to a DC National Origin Discrimination Attorney

DC’s broad employer coverage and the DCHRA’s uncapped damages both work in employees’ favor. If you believe you’ve experienced national origin discrimination at work, understanding whether to pursue a claim under the DCHRA, Title VII, the INA, or a combination can significantly affect your case.
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This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Reviewed by Ari Wilkenfeld, Esq. (DC Bar No. 461063; MD Bar No. 9806240300). Ari has over 27 years of experience litigating in federal and state courts, and before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), and various arbitration panels. Ari has been recognized by Esquire Magazine as “a famously determined Civil Rights lawyer” and by the New York Post as “a high powered DC Lawyer.” Last updated: August 28, 2026.
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