Equal Opportunity

WIOA “Equal Opportunity Is the Law” Notice TradeWorks Academy complies with the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity
requirements of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Section 188 and 29 CFR Part 38.

It is against the law for this recipient of federal financial assistance to discriminate on the
following basis:

 Race
 Color
 Religion
 Sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, gender identity, and sexual orientation)
 National origin
 Age
 Disability
 Political affiliation or belief

Citizenship or status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work in the United States  Participation in any WIOA-funded program or activity.

What To Do If You Believe You Have Experienced Discrimination
If you think you have been subjected to discrimination under a WIOA-funded program or activity, you may file a complaint within 180 days of the alleged violation. Complaints may be filed with:

TradeWorks Academy Equal Opportunity Officer:
Name: Jasmine Roman
Email: jroman@tradeworksonline.org
Phone Number: 859-907-2577

Mailing Address: 168 Highway 274, #160, Lake Wylie, SC 29710 or with:
South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) Equal Opportunity Office or with:

U.S. Department of Labor Civil Rights Center (CRC) 200 Constitution Avenue NW Room N4123 Washington, DC 20210

​

How to File
A complaint must be filed in writing and must contain:

 

• Your name, address, and contact information

• The name of the respondent (the person or organization you believe discriminated against you)

• A description of what happened

• The date(s) of the alleged discrimination

Auxiliary Aids and Services
TradeWorks Academy is a fully online institution; therefore, auxiliary aids and services are limited to digital access support. TradeWorks Academy provides course materials in standard digital formats, and students who encounter difficulty accessing online content may request assistance related to digital access.

Retaliation Prohibited
No individual may be intimidated, threatened, coerced, or discriminated against for filing a complaint or participating in an investigation.
WIOAAligned Grievance & Complaint Procedure

TradeWorks Academy
TradeWorks Academy maintains a formal grievance and complaint procedure that complies with the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity requirements of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Section 188 and 29 CFR Part 38. This procedure applies to all applicants, students, staff, contractors, and individuals participating in any program or activity offered by the Academy.
Complaints are categorized into two types, each with its own process and timelines. The two categories are:

A. Nondiscrimination Complaints (Civil Rights) WIOA Section 188
B. General ProgramRelated Complaints (Non-Civil Rights)
Retaliation against any individual who files a complaint, assists someone else, or participates in an investigation is strictly prohibited.
A. Nondiscrimination Complaints (WIOA Section 188) Any individual who believes they have been subjected to discrimination may file a complaint within 180 days of the alleged violation. Protected categories include:

​

•  Race

•  Color

•  Religion

•  Sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, gender identity, and sexual orientation)

•  National origin

•  Age

•  Disability

•  Political affiliation or belief

•  Citizenship or immigration status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work  Participation in any WIOA-funded program or activity

1. Filing a Nondiscrimination Complaint Internally

Complaints may be submitted in writing to:
TradeWorks Academy – Equal Opportunity Officer
Name: Jasmine Roman
Email: jroman@tradeworksonline.org
Phone: 8599072577
Mailing Address: 168 Highway 274, #160, Lake Wylie, SC 29710

 

•  A written complaint must include:

•  Complainant’s name and contact information

•  Name of the person or organization alleged to have discriminated

•  Description of what happened

•  Date(s) of the alleged discrimination

•  Signature or electronic signature

​

Internal Resolution Timeline (Required by 29 CFR §38.72)

Upon receipt, the Equal Opportunity Officer will:

•  Acknowledge the complaint

•  Conduct a prompt, impartial investigation

•  Issue a written Notice of Final Action within 90 days of the date the complaint was filed

​

This 90-day period is the maximum allowable internal resolution window under federal regulation.

2. Filing a Nondiscrimination Complaint Externally

A complainant may choose to file directly, without filing internally, with either:

South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) Equal Opportunity Office

or

U.S. Department of Labor – Civil Rights Center (CRC) 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N4123 Washington, DC 20210 CRC Filing Timelines (29 CFR §38.76)

If a complainant files internally first:

 If TradeWorks Academy issues a Notice of Final Action within 90 days, the complainant may file with CRC within 30 days of receiving the Notice.

 If TradeWorks Academy does not issue a Notice of Final Action within 90 days, the complainant may file with CRC within 30 days after the 90-day deadline has passed.

These timelines apply only to nondiscrimination complaints under WIOA Section 188.

B. General ProgramRelated Complaints (Non-Civil Rights) General complaints include concerns related to:

 

•  Instruction

•  Course content

•  Customer service

•  Technology access

•  Administrative processes

•  Enrollment or withdrawal

•  Tuition or billing questions

These complaints are not governed by WIOA Section 188 but are handled through TradeWorks Academy’s internal process.

1. Filing a General Complaint

Submit concerns in writing to:
Student Support Team
Email: jroman@tradeworksonline.org

The Academy will:

•  Acknowledge receipt within 5 business days

•  Review the concern

•  Provide a written response within 30 days

​

If the issue cannot be resolved informally, it will be escalated to the Executive Director for final review.

C. Retaliation Prohibited

No individual may be intimidated, threatened, coerced, or discriminated against for:

•  Filing a complaint

•  Assisting someone else in filing a complaint

•  Participating in any investigation or proceeding

• This protection applies to both nondiscrimination and general program-related

• complaints.

​

D. Accessibility of the Procedure

This procedure is:

 

•  Published on the TradeWorks Academy website

•  Provided to all students during enrollment

•  Available upon request in accessible digital formats

This procedure ensures full compliance with WIOA Section 188 and 29 CFR Part 38.

Equal Opportunity Officer
Name: Jasmine Roman
Email: jroman@tradeworksonline.org
Phone Number: 859-907-2577
Mailing Address: 168 Highway 274, #160, Lake Wylie, SC 29710

This statement is included in the Academy’s WIOA compliance materials and is available to
students upon request.