Civil Rights Unit

The Civil Rights Unit at the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office primarily enforces two such state laws, the New Hampshire Law Against Discrimination and the New Hampshire Civil Rights Act.

The Civil Rights Unit:

• Investigates complaints of actual or threatened physical violence, property damage, and property trespass that was motivated by race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability;
• Investigates complaints of discrimination in employment, housing, and places of public accommodation based on age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, color, marital status, familial status, physical or mental disability, religion, or national origin;
• Brings civil actions for injunctive relief to protect individuals who have been subjected to bias-motivated actual or threatened violence, property damage, and property trespass;
• Brings enforcement actions under state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination in areas such as employment, housing, and public accommodation;
• Serves as a resource to local law enforcement related to the investigation and/or prosecution of hate crimes; and
• Engages in community outreach and education regarding civil rights.

Complaint Process

An attorney will review your complaint and determine the proper course of action.

Because the Civil Rights Unit receives many complaints, the review may take some time. Action steps may include, but are not limited to:

• Retaining the basic information contained in your complaint for purposes of identifying patterns of illegal activity;
• Referring your complaint to another government agency or entity;
• Conducting an investigation into your complaint; and/or
• Bringing an enforcement action on behalf of the State of New Hampshire.

If the Unit determines that your complaint is not within its jurisdiction or otherwise does not rise to a civil rights violation, it will notify you of this determination and may take no further action.