Human Relations Commission to revise online discrimination-complaint form; volunteers to draft checkboxes and accessibility fixes

The Human Relations Commission reviewed the city’s online discrimination-complaint form and identified several usability and transparency issues commissioners said limit the form’s usefulness.

Members noted the form’s complaint field is broad and suggested adding checkboxes for protected classes or statuses so complainants can more easily identify the alleged basis for discrimination and the commission can categorize reports. Commissioners also flagged that the form may not be mobile friendly and discussed whether submitters reliably receive an automated confirmation; staff said requesters can receive an email copy but there is not an automated customer-service-style confirmation message built into the form at present.

Commissioners recalled prior discussions about how complaint submissions are routed and whether the city attorney screens and receives the reports. The packet included a message from the city attorney’s office indicating the attorney’s office receives complaints; commissioners asked staff to confirm the full intake process and to clarify whether the HRC will receive copies of screened complaints for oversight.

A commissioner volunteered to prepare mock-ups and a suggested list of checkboxes and accessibility improvements. The commission voted to have Commissioners Harper and another commissioner prepare proposed edits and bring the mock-up to the commission’s December meeting for further discussion and possible motion to forward language to council or staff for implementation.

No formal policy change occurred at the meeting; the next step is a draft form to be presented at the next scheduled meeting.