What We Do
The Seattle Human Rights Commission was established in 1963 to advocate for justice and equal opportunity, to advise the City of Seattle on human rights issues and to collaborate with public and private sectors in order to educate them on methods to prevent and eliminate discrimination city-wide.
Our goals are to elevate community voices to our elected leaders, ensure there is greater public awareness for human rights concerns, and create actionable objectives for local officials.
Mission
To increase visibility of human rights concerns and to dismantle systems within the city to ensure Seattle delivers on its commitment to human rights.
Vision
Develop an understanding of community needs, bring the SHRC platform to those communities, and determine how a human rights city should be accountable to its people.
- Partner with community organizations
- Create cross-commission coalitions
- Educate the public about human rights concerns
- Promote civic engagement among communities
- Meet in our communities
- Collaborate with other cities that share our city's human rights vision
Values
Communities: We center the communities impacted by human rights concerns in all the work we do.
Race & Social Justice: The commission supports the city's Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) - an effort to end institutionalized racism and race-based disparities in City government. The commission incorporates RSJI's long-term approach in its plans, by working to change the underlying system that creates race-based disparities in our communities to achieve racial equity.
Purpose
The Seattle Human Rights Commission works to end discrimination based upon race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, political ideology, ancestry, age, marital and parental status, disability, Section 8, and retaliation. We consult with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and make recommendations to the Director of the OCR concerning the development of City of Seattle policies, procedures, and programs to promote equality and justice. We conduct appeals hearings to review potential acts of discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, and public accommodations within the city and to confirm proper investigation.
2024-2026 Workplan
The Seattle Human Rights Commission's (SHRC) 2024-2026 work plan is an ambitious agenda to address serious, persistent human rights violations in Seattle. Together with other commissions, the Seattle Office for Civil Rights, elected officials, advocacy groups, and most importantly, the people experiencing these violations, we aim to reduce discrimination and address community needs. We’d like to hear from you and welcome public comment during our regular public meetings.
Committees
Discrimination Appeals Committee
The Seattle Human Rights Commission hears appeals after the Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR) or Office of Labor Standards has received and investigated charges of discrimination that have been filed and the office has issued a Finding and Determination. The Charging Party can file an appeal of SOCR's Findings with SHRC within 30 days of the issuance of the decision. If the Appeal meets the legal standards for an appeal, SHRC will schedule a hearing of the appeal to determine whether SOCR's decision should be affirmed or returned to the SOCR office for further investigation. The SHRC hears employment, housing and public accommodation cases. At least one member of the Appeals Committee is an attorney.
Read SHRR 40-365 - Appeals to human rights commission
Policy Review Committee
One of the duties of the Seattle Human Rights Commission is to consult with and make recommendations to OCR with regard to problems arising in the City which may result in discrimination based upon race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, political ideology, ancestry, age, marital and parental status, disability, Section 8, and retaliation. SHRC reviews City policies associated with issues most frequently challenged through discrimination appeal hearings and makes recommendations to OCR on policy and procedural revisions.
Human Rights Day Planning Committee
The purpose of the Human Rights Day Planning Committee is to: Plan a celebration of Human Rights Day, which is celebrated internationally on December 10th each year, in commemoration of the 1948 United Nations adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Recognize an individual and an organization that have contributed to the advancement of human rights in the City of Seattle. Establish and present a youth human rights day award.