Civil Rights Frequently Asked Questions and Resources

We investigate and address civil rights violations by non-government organizations. We can bring cases to address violations of both state and federal civil rights laws.

​​​​We focus on broad patterns of discrimination, not just single cases. When we find civil rights violations, we can open an investigation or file a lawsuit that:

• Seeks a court order to stop the discriminatory actions
• Requests that people who were harmed be paid for the loss of money or property because of the discrimination
• Asks for penalties to be paid by civil rights violators

We can bring cases under all state and federal civil rights laws. These protect people from discrimination based on:

• Race or color
• Religion or beliefs
• Sex
• Age
• National origin
• Marital status
• Disability
• Sexual orientation
• Gender identity
• Genetic information (in employment)
• Family status or income source (in housing)
• Homelessness (hate crimes)

You can report a civil rights violation by:​

1. Filling out our Civil Rights Complaint Form
2. Emailing [email protected]​​

Our staff will review your complaint and may contact you for more information. Some cases might be:​​​​

• Sent to another division like Consumer Protection
• Referred to community service providers or advocates

​​​​Important: We don't handle complaints against state or local governments. For those, contact the Maryland Commission for Civil Rights​.

No. Our cases are brought on behalf of the State, not individuals. However, in appropriate cases, we can get compensation for people harmed by illegal policies or practices.​​​​

Many laws protect Marylanders from discrimination, but unfair treatment still happens. Often people face barriers because of their race, gender, disability, or other protected characteristics.​​​​

Discrimination often comes from unfair policies or practices. Individuals may not have the resources to change these on their own. Our division can take these cases.

Examples of cases we handle include:​​​​

• Housing policies that exclude people of color or discriminate based on housing vouchers or past felonies
• Landlords sexually harassing tenants
• Employment practices that give women or people of color lower-paying jobs
• Online hate campaigns targeting Black business owners

We can:

• Start our own investigations
• Bring lawsuits
• Issue subpoenas
• Seek court orders to stop discrimination
• Educate Marylanders about their rights and how to protect them

We receive over 1,000 complaints each year from Marylanders. We review each one to decide if an investigation is needed. We also get referrals from social service providers and advocacy groups.​​​​