49-2-501. Filing complaints. - Montana Statutes

     49-2-501. Filing complaints. (1) A person claiming to be aggrieved by any discriminatory practice prohibited by this chapter may file a complaint with the department.
     (2) A complaint may be filed on behalf of a person charging unlawful discrimination prohibited by this chapter if the person acting on behalf of the charging party is the charging party's guardian, attorney, or duly authorized representative or an advocacy group, labor organization, or other organization acting as an authorized representative.
     (3) The complaint must be written and verified and must state the name and address of the party alleged to have engaged in the discriminatory practice and the particulars of the alleged discriminatory practice.
     (4) (a) Except as provided in 49-2-510 and subsection (4)(b) of this section, a complaint under this chapter must be filed with the department within 180 days after the alleged unlawful discriminatory practice occurred or was discovered.
     (b) If the charging party has initiated efforts to resolve the dispute underlying the complaint by filing a grievance in accordance with any grievance procedure established by a collective bargaining agreement, contract, or written rule or policy, the complaint may be filed within 180 days after the conclusion of the grievance procedure if the grievance procedure concludes within 120 days after the alleged unlawful discriminatory practice occurred or was discovered. If the grievance procedure does not conclude within 120 days, the complaint must be filed within 300 days after the alleged unlawful discriminatory practice occurred or was discovered.
     (5) If the department determines that the complaint is untimely, it shall dismiss the complaint on a finding of no reasonable cause. A charging party may file objections to the dismissal with the commission pursuant to 49-2-511.

     History: En. 64-308 by Sec. 5, Ch. 283, L. 1974; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 524, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 64-308(1); amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 177, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 415, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 801, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 467, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 28, L. 2007.