STATE OF CALIFORNIA | Business, Consumer Sorvices and Housing Agenoy
GAVIN NEWSOM, GOVERNOR
Civil Rights Department KEVIN KISH, DIRECTOR
651 Bannon Street, Suite 200 | Sacramento | CA | 95811
1-800-884-1684 (volce) | 1-800-700-2320 (TTY) | California's Relay Service at 711 calcivilights.ca.gov|[email protected] January 14, 2026
Via Certified Mail
Agent of Service for City of Riverside
Donesia Gause
City of Riverside
3900 Main Street
Riverside, CA 92522
Respondents):
City of Riverside
3900 Main Street
Riverside, CA 92522
RE: Notice of Filing of Discrimination Complaint - Response Requested Case Number: 202512-32597811
Case Name: Gomez / City of Riverside
Case Type: Criminal History in Employment Decisions
To All Listed Respondents:
Enclosed is a copy of a complaint filed with the Civil Rights Department (CRD). The enclosed complaint, which was filed under Government Code section 12960, alleges unlawful discrimination and names you as a Respondent or Co-Respondent.
The CRD independently investigates and assesses the facts and legal issues in each case. The CRD uses the facts obtained through its investigation to determine if there is reasonable cause to believe that a law the department enforces has been violated.
Government Code Section 12940, subdivision (h), prohibits any retaliatory action against a person because he or she has filed a complaint, has opposed any practices forbidden under the Fair Employment and Housing Act, or has assisted in any proceeding before the CRD.
California Government Code section 12946 requires that all employment records (or union membership and referral records) be retained for a minimum of four (4) years.
When a discrimination complaint has been served, the records must be kept until the CRD closes its inquiry and until any resulting lawsuit or appeal has been terminated.
CRD-ENF 13CHNFDRR (Revised 2025/11)
Notice of Filing of Discrimination Complaint - Response Requested January 14, 2026
You can respond to this letter by:
• Using our online California Civil Rights System (CCRS). This is a three-step process:
• Create an account for yourself at https://ccrs.calcivilrights.ca.gov. All you need is a valid_email address and a phone number.
• Email your assigned investigator (named below) or contact us at [email protected] and make reference to Case #:
202512-32597811 to request that your account be associated to the complaint.
• You will see the case number in your list of Open Cases. Select Files, click on Upload New File, and select the files you wish to upload. • Email. Send your response to your assigned investigator (named below) and to [email protected]. Include a copy of this letter and make reference to Case #: 202512-32597811.
• US mail. Send your response to: CRD Enforcement Division 651 Bannon Street, Suite 200 Sacramento, CA 95811. Include a copy of this letter and make reference to the Case #: 202512-32597811.
In appropriate cases, your assigned investigator may assist you in reaching an agreement to resolve this complaint. If you are interested in discussing a possible settlement of this complaint, please contact your investigator. Settlement discussions are confidential. However, discussions of facts or-legal issues with you will not be considered part of a settlement discussion unless the CRD specifies in advance that a discussion is for this purpose.
Also, please be advised that the Department offers free mediation services. In. appropriate cases, if you and the complainant agree to mediate and the Department approves, the complaint will be assigned to a mediator who will contact you to schedule the mediation conference. All settlement discussions during the mediation process are confidential and not subject to disclosure. If you are interested in formal mediation, please contact the assigned investigator.
CRD-ENF 13CHNFDRR (Revised 2025/11)
Notice of Filing of Discrimination Complaint - Response Requested January 14, 2026
Sincerely,
David Fillingame
David Fillingame
Analyst III
916-957-0363
[email protected]
Enclosures
CERTIFIED MAIL: 9589071052702857642171
CC:
City of Riverside
3900 Main Street
Riverside, CA 92522
CERTIFIED MAIL: 9589071052702857642188
CRD-ENF 13CHNFDRR (Revised 2025/11)
STATE OF CALIFORNIA | Business, Consumer Services.and Housing Agency Criminal History in Employment Decislong
COMPLAINT OF DISCRIMINATION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE CALIFORNIA FAIR EMPLOYMENT AND HousIng AcT
CASE NUMBER
202512-32597811
COMPLAINANT ADDRESS
PHONE
Melinda Gomez 29214 Glass Mountain CT
(951) 425-3092
Winchester, CA 92596
TYPE OF DISCRIMINATION AND
LAW
Government Code 12940
NAMED IS THE EMPLOYER, PERSON, AGENCY, ORGANIZATION OR GOVERNMENT
ENTITY WHO DISCRIMINATED AGAINST ME
RESPONDENT(S) ADDRESS PHONE
City of Riverside 3900 Main Street
(951) 826-5970
Riverside, CA 92522
NO. OF
EMPLOYEES
501 or more
CRD-ENF 13CHRAAC (Revised 2025/11)
RIGHTS DEPART STATE OF CALIEORNIA | Business, Consumer. Services and Housing Agency Criminal History in Employment Decisions
D COMPLAINT OF DISCRIMINATION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE CALIFORNIA FAIR EMPLOYMENT AND HoUsING AcT
CASE NUMBER
202512-32597811
- Allegation -
I ALLEGE THAT I EXPERIENCED
Discrimination
ON OR BEFORE
December 26, 2025
BECAUSE OF MY ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED
Criminal history or perceived criminal history
AS A RESULT, I WAS SUBJECTED TO
Denied hire or promotion
PARTICULARS
I believe I was illegally denied hire by Respondent City of Riverside ("Respondent") in violation of Government Code section 12952 and California Code of Regulations, title 2, section 11017.1.
On or about August 3, 2025, I applied for employment with Respondent for the position of Outreach Worker for the Housing and Human Services Department in Riverside, California.
The job duties for this position included conducting outreach, intake, assessment, and case management for homeless individuals and families.
On or about October 24, 2025, I-was made a conditional offer of employment.
On or about October 27, 2025, I authorized a Live Scan background check.
On or about October 27, 2025, Respondent asked me to self-disclose criminal history beyond what an employer is allowed to seek under the law.
On November 5, 2025, I received a pre-adverse action notice via email along with a copy of my Live Scan criminal background report conducted by the Department of Justice. The pre- adverse action notice failed to include the notice of the disqualifying conviction(s) that were the basis for the preliminary decision to rescind the offer or notice of how or where to submit my response.
The criminal history report contained inaccurate information, failing to state that my single conviction, a misdemeanor from nearly twenty years prior, had been recently expunged.
I do not believe that Respondent conducted an initial individualized assessment prior to making a preliminary decision to disqualify me for the position, while specifically considering CRD-ENF 13CHRAAC (Revised 2025/11)
STATE OF CALIFORNIA | Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. CriminaL History In Empleyment Decisions • CIVIL COMPLAINT OF DISCRIMINATION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE CALIFORNIA FAIR EMPLOYMENT AND HousIng AcT
CASE NUMBER
202512-32597811
the following: (1) the nature and gravity of the offense; (2) the time that passed since the offense and completion of the sentence; and (3) the nature of the job sought. The disqualifying conviction identified by Respondent did not have a direct and adverse relationship to the duties of the position for which I was hired.
Respondent unlawfully considered conviction history information that was more than seven years old. I believe Respondent unlawfully considered a conviction that has been sealed, dismissed, expunged, or statutorily eradicated pursuant to law.
On November 6, 2025, and November 18, 2025, I submitted information in response to the pre-adverse action notice challenging the accuracy of the criminal history report and providing mitigation and rehabilitation evidence. I noted that my single conviction was nearly twenty years old, expunged, and unrelated to the duties of an Outreach Worker. I explained that since my conviction, I had earned two master's degrees and obtained extensive professional experience demonstrating my ethical conduct. I also offered to provide professional and personal character references.
On December 8, 2025, Respondent sent me a final notice via email that my job offer had been withdrawn.
I do not believe that Respondent conducted an adequate secondary individualized assessment prior to its final decision to disqualify me for the position, while specifically considering the following: (1) the nature and gravity of the offense; (2) the time that passed since the offense and completion of the sentence; and (3) the nature of the job sought; (4) information I submitted in response to the pre-adverse action notice.
CRD-ENF 13CHRAAC (Revised 2025/11)
STATE OF CALIFORNIA | Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. Criminal History in Employment Decisions
COMPLAINT OF DISCRIMINATION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE CALIFORNIA FAIR EMPLOYMENT AND HousIng AcT
CASE NUMBER
202512-32597811
SIGNED UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY
By submitting this complaint I am declaring under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct of my own knowledge, except as to matters stated on my information and belief, and as to those matters I believe them to be true.
SIGNATURE OF COMPLAINANT OR COMPLAINANT'S LEGAL DATE:
REPRESENTATIVE:
- Melimela sorres 01/12/2026
Melinda Gomez (Jan 12, 2026 15:06:26 PST
CRD-ENF 13CHRAAC (Revised 2025/11)
CERTIFIED MAIL°
State of California
Civil Rights Department ENTOÇA 9 US POSTAGENMPITNEY BOWES.?* Legal Division -
Дуу» 651 Bannon Street, Suite 200 026 PM 4
Sacramento, CA 95811
www.calcivilrights.ca.gov FIRST- ZIP 95811 $ 006.330
027W
0008042326 JAN. 16. 2026
9589 0710 5270 2857 6421 71
RECEIVED
JAN 2 1 2026
City of Riverside
City Clerk's Office
Personal and Confidential: To be Opened by Addressee or Designee Only