Title 29LaborRelease 119-73

§794a Remedies and attorney fees

Title 29 › Chapter CHAPTER 16— - VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND OTHER REHABILITATION SERVICES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER V— - RIGHTS AND ADVOCACY › § 794a

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Employees and job applicants who are upset about how a discrimination complaint was handled get the same remedies and procedures that the Civil Rights Act uses for job discrimination. That also covers complaints about pay. When a court orders fair or corrective action, it may consider how reasonable the cost of a workplace accommodation is and whether other, cheaper options or different relief would work. People harmed by the acts or failures of organizations that get federal money get the same kinds of remedies under the civil-rights rules for federal recipients. In lawsuits to enforce these rules, a court may, at its choice, make the losing side pay a reasonable lawyer’s fee and costs for the winner, unless the United States is the losing side.

Full Legal Text

Title 29, §794a

Labor — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The remedies, procedures, and rights set forth in section 717 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000e–16), including the application of section 706(f) through 706(k) (42 U.S.C. 2000e–5(f) through (k)) (and the application of section 706(e)(3) (42 U.S.C. 2000e–5(e)(3)) to claims of discrimination in compensation), shall be available, with respect to any complaint under section 791 of this title, to any employee or applicant for employment aggrieved by the final disposition of such complaint, or by the failure to take final action on such complaint. In fashioning an equitable or affirmative action remedy under such section, a court may take into account the reasonableness of the cost of any necessary work place accommodation, and the availability of alternatives therefor or other appropriate relief in order to achieve an equitable and appropriate remedy.
(2)The remedies, procedures, and rights set forth in title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.) (and in subsection (e)(3) of section 706 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 2000e–5), applied to claims of discrimination in compensation) shall be available to any person aggrieved by any act or failure to act by any recipient of Federal assistance or Federal provider of such assistance under section 794 of this title.
(b)In any action or proceeding to enforce or charge a violation of a provision of this subchapter, the court, in its discretion, may allow the prevailing party, other than the United States, a reasonable attorney’s fee as part of the costs.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Civil Rights Act of 1964, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), is Pub. L. 88–352, July 2, 1964, 78 Stat. 241. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is classified generally to subchapter V (§ 2000d et seq.) of chapter 21 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2000a of Title 42 and Tables.

Amendments

2009—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 111–2, § 5(c)(1)(A), inserted “(and the application of section 706(e)(3) (42 U.S.C. 2000e–5(e)(3)) to claims of discrimination in compensation)” after “(42 U.S.C. 2000e–5(f) through (k))”. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 111–2, § 5(c)(1)(B), inserted “(42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.) (and in subsection (e)(3) of section 706 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 2000e–5), applied to claims of discrimination in compensation)” after “1964”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2009 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 111–2 effective as if enacted May 28, 2007, and applicable to certain claims of discrimination in compensation pending on or after that date, see section 6 of Pub. L. 111–2, set out as a note under section 2000e–5 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

29 U.S.C. § 794a

Title 29Labor

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73