(a) An aggrieved person who believes that he or she has been subject to illegal dicrimination shall bring such allegations to the attention of the appropriate Counselor within 30 days of the alleged discrimination to attempt to resolve them. The process for notifying the appropriate Counselor is the following:

(1) Aggrieved applicants, trainees or Volunteers who have not departed for overseas assignments, or who have returned to Washington for any administrative reason shall direct their allegations to the EO Director for assignment to an appropriate Counselor.

(2) Aggrieved trainees or Volunteers overseas shall direct their allegations to the designated Counselor for that post.

(3) Aggrieved applicants, trainees, and Volunteers applying for, or enrolled in ACTION domestic programs shall direct their allegations to the designated Counselor for that Region.

(b) Upon receipt of the allegation, the Counselor or designee shall make whatever inquiry is deemed necessary into the facts alleged by the aggrieved party and shall counsel the aggrieved party for the purpose of attempting an informal resolution agreeable to all parties. The Counselor will keep a written record of his or her activities which will be submitted to the EO Director if a formal complaint concerning the matter is filed.

(c) If after such inquiry and counseling an informal resolution to the allegation is not reached, the Counselor shall notify the aggrieved party in writing of the right to file a complaint of discrimination with the EO Director within 15 calendar days of the aggrieved party's receipt of the notice.

(d) The Counselor shall not reveal the identity of the aggrieved party who has come to him or her for consultation, except when authorized to do so by the aggrieved party. However, the identity of the aggrieved party may be revealed once the agency has accepted a complaint of discrimination from the aggrieved party.