(a) If, in the judgment of the Office, the circumstances so warrant, it may, at any time after the filing of the complaint, endeavor to eliminate such unlawful discriminatory practice by conference, conciliation, or persuasion.
(b) If the Office determines that there exists probable cause to believe that the respondent has engaged or is engaging in an unlawful practice, the parties shall attempt to conciliate the complaint. The Office shall grant the parties up to 60 days within which to reach a conciliation agreement. If the parties fail to execute a conciliation agreement within the time allowed by the Office, the Office shall certify the case to the Commission for a public hearing. The terms of a conciliation agreement may require a respondent to refrain, in the future, from committing specified discriminatory practices, and to take such affirmative action as, in the judgment of the Office, will effectuate the purposes of this chapter; and may include consent, by the respondent, to the entry in court of a consent decree, embodying the terms of the conciliation agreement.
(c) Upon agreement of all parties to a complaint and upon notice to all parties thereto, a conciliation agreement shall be deemed an order of the Commission, and shall be enforceable as such. Except for the terms of the conciliation agreement, employees of the Office shall not make public, without the written consent of the respondent, information concerning conciliation efforts.
(d) Repealed.
(e) The Office shall make public, unless the complainant and respondent agree otherwise and the Director determines that disclosure is not required to further the purpose of this chapter, conciliation agreements alleging unlawful discrimination in residential real estate transactions or violations of the FHA.
(Dec. 13, 1977, D.C. Law 2-38, title III, § 306, 24 DCR 6038; Apr. 9, 1997, D.C. Law 11-198, § 402, 43 DCR 4569; Oct. 23, 1997, D.C. Law 12-39, § 2(b), 44 DCR 4856; Apr. 20, 1999, D.C. Law 12-242, § 2(j), 46 DCR 952; Apr. 12, 2000, D.C. Law 13-91, § 159(c), 47 DCR 520.)
Prior Codifications1981 Ed., § 1-2546.
1973 Ed., § 6-2286.
Effect of AmendmentsD.C. Law 13-91 validated a previously made technical correction in subsec. (e).
Emergency LegislationFor temporary amendment of section, see § 402 of the Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Support Congressional Adjournment Emergency Amendment Act of 1997 (D.C. Act 12-2, February 19, 1997, 44 DCR 1590).
Section 1001 of D.C. Act 12-2 provided for the application of the act.
Temporary LegislationFor temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 2 of the Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Support Temporary Amendment Act of 1996, (D.C. Law 11-226, Apr. 9, 1997, law notification 44 DCR 2584).