Compliance requirements.

§ 88.6 Compliance requirements. (a) In general. The Department and each recipient has primary responsibility to ensure that it is in compliance with Federal conscience and anti-discrimination laws and this part, and shall take steps to eliminate any violations of the Federal conscience and anti-discrimination laws and this part. If a sub-recipient is found to have violated the Federal conscience and anti-discrimination laws, the recipient from whom the sub-recipient received funds may be subject to the imposition of funding restrictions or any appropriate remedies available under this part, depending on the facts and circumstances. (b) Records and information. The Department, each recipient, and each sub-recipient shall maintain complete and accurate records evidencing compliance with Federal conscience and anti-discrimination laws and this part, and afford OCR, upon request, reasonable access to such records and information in a timely manner and to the extent OCR finds necessary to determine compliance with the Federal conscience and anti-discrimination laws and this part. Such records: (1) Shall be maintained for a period of three years from the date the record was created or obtained by the recipient or sub-recipient; (2) Shall contain any information maintained by the recipient or sub-recipient that pertains to discrimination on the basis of religious belief or moral conviction, including, without limitation, any complaints; statements, policies, or notices concerning discrimination on the basis of religious belief or moral conviction; procedures for accommodating employees' or other protected individuals' religious beliefs or moral convictions; and records of requests for such religious or moral accommodation and the recipient or sub-recipient's response to such requests; and (3) May be maintained in any form and manner that affords OCR with reasonable access to them in a timely manner. (c) Cooperation. The Department, each recipient, and each sub-recipient shall cooperate with any compliance review, investigation, interview, or other part of OCR's enforcement process, which may include production of documents, participation in interviews, response to data requests, and making available of premises for inspection where relevant. Failure to cooperate may result in an OCR referral to the Department of Justice, in coordination with the Department's Office of the General Counsel, for further enforcement in Federal court or otherwise. Each recipient or sub-recipient shall permit access by OCR during normal business hours to such of its books, records, accounts, and other sources of information, as well as its facilities, as may be pertinent to ascertain compliance with this part. Asserted considerations of privacy or confidentiality may not operate to bar OCR from evaluating or seeking to enforce compliance with this part. Information of a confidential nature obtained in connection with compliance reviews, investigations, or other enforcement activities shall not be disclosed except as required in formal enforcement proceedings or as otherwise required by law. (d) Reporting requirement. If a recipient or sub-recipient is subject to a determination by OCR of noncompliance with this part, the recipient or sub-recipient must, in any application for new or renewed Federal financial assistance or Departmental funding in the three years following such determination, disclose the existence of the determination of noncompliance. This includes a requirement that recipients disclose any OCR determinations made against their sub-recipients. (e) Intimidating or retaliatory acts prohibited. Neither the Department nor any recipient or sub-recipient shall intimidate, threaten, coerce, or discriminate against any entity for the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege under the Federal conscience and anti-discrimination laws or this part, or because such entity has made a complaint or participated in any manner in an investigation or review under the Federal conscience and anti-discrimination laws or this part.