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Virginia Administrative Code
Title 1. Administration
Agency 45. Department of Law
Chapter 20. Regulations Regarding the Virginia Human Rights Act
4/10/2025

1VAC45-20-20. Definitions.

1VAC45-20-20. Definitions.

The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Act" means the Virginia Human Rights Act, Chapter 39 (§ 2.2-3900 et seq.) of Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia.

"Charge of discrimination" or "charge" means a complaint that has been perfected by the division and served on the parties to provide notice that the division has accepted and will investigate a complaint.

"Complaint" means a written statement by a person or by the division alleging an act of discrimination prohibited by the Act.

"Complainant" or "charging party" means a person who claims to have been injured by a discriminatory practice.

"Designee" means an individual designated by the director to act in his stead pursuant to this chapter.

"Determination" means the final written report detailing the division's findings of fact and analysis of whether or not there is reasonable cause to believe the Act was violated.

"Director" means an individual designated by the Attorney General to oversee the division and perform the duties and responsibilities outlined in the Act.

"Discharge" means an actual or constructive termination or separation of an employee from employment.

"Division" means the Division of Human Rights of the Department of Law.

"Hearing officer" means a person qualified from the list of hearing officers maintained by the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia.

"Person" means, consistent with § 1-230 of the Code of Virginia, any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, government, political subdivision, or any other legal or commercial entity and any successor, representative, agent, agency, or instrumentality thereof.

"Respondent" means a person against whom a complaint of violation of the Act is filed. In addition, those terms and any other referring to people will be considered masculine or feminine.

Statutory Authority

§ 2.2-520 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Former 22VAC25-10-20 derived from VR402-01-02 § 2, eff. July 4, 1990; amended and renumbered, Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 15, eff. May 5, 2017; amended, Virginia Register Volume 37, Issue 3, eff. October 28, 2020.

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