Unless the context requires otherwise, in this Part:

(a) Director means the Director of Peace Corps for all Peace Corps applicant, trainee, or Volunteer complaints processed under this part, or the Director of ACTION for all domestic applicant, trainee, or Volunteer complaints processed under this part. The term shall also refer to any designee of the respective Director.

(b) EO Director means the Director of the Equal Opportunity Division of the Office of Compliance, ACTION. The term shall also refer to any designee of the EO Director.

(c) Illegal discrimination means discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex, handicap or political affiliation as defined in section 5(a) of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2504); section 717 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000-16); Title V of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 791, et seq.); and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6101, et seq.). Further clarification of the scope of matters covered by this definition may be obtained by referring to the following regulations: Sex Discrimination: 29 CFR part 1604; Religious Discrimination: 29 CFR part 1605; National Origin Discrimination: 29 CFR part 1606; Age Discrimination: 45 CFR part 90; Handicap Discrimination: 29 CFR 1613.701 through 1613.707.

(d) Applicant means a person who has submitted to the appropriate agency personnel a completed application required for consideration of eligibility for Peace Corps or ACTION volunteer service. “Applicant” may also mean a person who alleges that the actions of agency personnel precluded him or her from submitting such an application or any other information reasonably required by the appropriate personnel as necessary for a determination of the individual's eligibility for volunteer service.

(e) Trainee means a person who has accepted an invitation issued by Peace Corps or ACTION and has registered for Peace Corps or ACTION training.

(f) Volunteer means a person who has completed successfully all necessary training; met all clearance standards; has taken, if required, the oath prescribed in either section 5(j) of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2504), or section 104(c) of the Volunteer Service Act of 1973, as amended (42 U.S.C. 104(c)) and has been enrolled as a full-time Volunteer by the appropriate agency.

(g) Complaint means a written statement signed by the complainant and submitted to the EO Director. A complaint shall set forth specifically and in detail:

(1) A description of the Peace Corps or ACTION management policy or practice, if any, giving rise to the complaint;

(2) A detailed description including names and dates, if possible, of the actions of the Peace Corps or ACTION officials which resulted in the alleged illegal discrimination;

(3) The manner in which the Peace Corps or ACTION action directly affected the complainant; and

(4) The relief sought.

A complaint shall be deemed filed on the date it is received by the appropriate agency official. When a complaint does not conform with the above definition, it shall nevertheless be accepted. The complainant shall be notified of the steps necessary to correct the deficiencies of the complaint. The complainant shall have 30 days from his or her receipt of notification of the complaint defects to resubmit an amended complaint.

(h) Counselor means an official designated by the EO Director to perform the functions of conciliation as detailed in this part.

(i) Agent means a class member who acts for the class during the processing of a class complaint. In order to be accepted as the agent for a class complaint, in addition to those requirements of a complaint found in §1225.3(g) of this part, the complaint must meet the requirements for a class complaint as found in subpart C of these regulations.