LEP Grievance Procedure for Visitors

The Field Museum has adopted the following Grievance Procedure providing for the prompt and equitable resolution of complaints regarding a lack of meaningful access by individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) to the Museum’s services, programs, and activities. The Museum has adopted this Grievance Procedure to comply with its obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As a recipient of federal funds, the Museum must take reasonable steps to provide LEP individuals with meaningful access to its programs and services at no additional charge.

This document is also available in Chinese, French, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish:

Basis for complaint

The Museum strives to make our programming, exhibitions, and facilities accessible for everyone, including people who have limited proficiency with written or spoken English. While we cannot provide translations of all material into all languages, we use our best efforts to provide vital information in our visitors’ most frequently spoken languages and to provide reasonable language assistance to visitors who speak less frequently encountered languages.

Please submit a complaint using the following Grievance Procedure if you believe the Museum has failed to provide reasonable language assistance service; you have experienced discrimination or harassment by Museum staff based on your limited English proficiency; or you believe that the Museum is otherwise not in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

How to submit a complaint

Complaints should be addressed to Jolynn Willink, who has been designated to coordinate the Museum’s LEP compliance efforts (the “LEP Coordinator”). You may submit a complaint in person at the Museum’s Visitor’s Center, by email to accessibility@fieldmuseum.org or using the online complaint form, or by mail to The Field Museum, ATTN: Jolynn Willink, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605. You may also call 312-665-7233 for more information, help with submitting a complaint, or for an accommodation if you require an alternate means of submission.

The Museum will make appropriate arrangements to ensure that individuals with disabilities and with limited English proficiency are provided auxiliary aids and services or language assistive service if needed to participate in this grievance process. If your complaint concerns the Museum’s failure to provide an accommodation for a disability, please refer to the Museum’s ADA Grievance Procedure.

Grievance procedure

  1. Complaints must be submitted in writing and must contain (a) the name, address, and phone number of the person submitting it (the “Complainant”); (b) a brief description of the nature of the complaint and the alleged violation; and (c) a description of circumstances giving rise to the complaint, including the date, location, and names of relevant individuals. The Museum has provided a Complaint Form, but visitors need not use this form as long as the complaint is submitted in writing (or, at the Complainant’s request, in a different accessible format) and contains the necessary information.
  2. A complaint should be filed within thirty (30) calendar days after the Complainant becomes aware of the alleged violation.
  3. The LEP Coordinator (or his or her designee) shall conduct an investigation, as may be appropriate, following the receipt of a complaint. The investigation shall be prompt and informal, but thorough, and afford all interested persons and their representatives an opportunity to submit information relevant to the complaint. The LEP Coordinator will contact the Complainant within fifteen (15) calendar days of receiving the complaint to discuss the alleged violation, gather additional information, if needed, and discuss possible resolutions.
  4. A report containing the LEP Coordinator’s findings, explaining the Museum’s position and offering one or more options for resolution of the complaint, if any, shall be issued in writing or another accessible format by the LEP Coordinator no later than sixty (60) calendar days after receiving the complaint. This report will be forwarded to the Complainant no later than five (5) business days after it is issued. This timeline may be altered for good cause, such as complexity of the investigation or availability of relevant individuals; the LEP Coordinator will inform the Complainant of the extension and an updated time of completion.
  5. The Complainant can request a reconsideration of the complaint in instances of dissatisfaction with the resolution. The request for reconsideration must be made within ten (10) calendar days of receiving the LEP Coordinator’s report. The request for reconsideration must be made in writing or another accessible format and addressed to the LEP Coordinator. The LEP Coordinator shall forward the request to the appropriate Museum Vice President (e.g., Chief Marketing Officer for issues related to exhibit access or visitor experience issues; the Chief Human Resource Officer if a staff member is alleged to have violated Title VI; the Vice President of Science and Education if a Learning Center program is involved, etc.). The Vice President will respond to the Complainant in writing or another accessible format within fifteen (15) calendar days. The Vice President’s decision is final.
  6. The LEP Coordinator shall maintain the files and records of the Museum relating to the complaints filed according to the Museum’s Record Management Policy.
  7. The right of a person to a prompt and equitable resolution of a complaint submitted through this process shall not be impaired by nor shall the use of this procedure be a prerequisite to the pursuit of other remedies. Other remedies include the filing of a complaint with the Department of Justice: Federal Coordination and Compliance Section-NWB, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20530.
  8. This procedure shall be construed to protect the substantive rights of interested persons, to meet appropriate due process standards, and to assure that The Field Museum complies with all applicable laws.

The policy described here is subject to change at any time. New policies, procedures, regulations or revisions thereto, may be established by Museum at any time without notice.

Approved on December 14, 2018, by President Richard Lariviere.