Faster Paths to Getting Justice

Background

The Louisiana Human Rights Council (LHRC) enforces specific Louisiana laws for discrimination in Louisiana. They work to make sure that people aren’t being discriminated against when it comes to getting jobs, loans, or housing. LHRC works for people who don’t realize they have a voice when they’ve suffered from discrimination. In doing so, they help uphold fairness, equal opportunity, and dignity for all residents of the state. Their efforts not only address individual cases but also foster a more inclusive and equitable environment for entire communities.

Problem

LHRC’s online system didn’t meet current federal guidelines regarding accessibility and it involved repetitive, manual, data handling. The old system created duplicate data which required manual queue reviews. The resulting backlog created a stream of work that was difficult to schedule. Furthermore, the system didn’t adhere to industry best practices for gathering data from people on phones or older computers. This meant that many people who wanted to file a complaint could face unnecessary barriers, leading to incomplete or delayed submissions. Over time, the inefficiencies reduced the organization’s ability to respond promptly to urgent cases.

Solution

In discovery sessions, OTS and LHRC determined that two cooperating products would be designed and coded. LHRC got a new, user-friendly, responsive, WCAG compliant public facing website. This new website took their audience to a new discrimination complaint form which also adhered to technical accessibility standards and best practices for mobile form submissions. The form submissions now go to an automated form system which feeds into a reporting system they use for federal compliance. Together, these updates streamlined the entire complaint process, from initial submission to final reporting. The improvements also created a sustainable framework for future system updates, ensuring compliance remains consistent over time.

Outcome

The Louisianians who report discrimination to LHRC now access an easier-to-use, mobile friendly, accessible, public facing website and complaint form. LHRC’s staff now have more time to review discrimination reports because the new systems eliminated the need for regular queue inspections. This increased efficiency allows the organization to focus on addressing cases faster and providing better support to those affected by discrimination. As a result, both the public and LHRC benefit from a smoother, more responsive, and more transparent process.