{"data":{"id":"us/45-cfr-617.15","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"45 CFR 617.15","heading":"Exhaustion of administrative remedies.","body":"(a) A complainant may file a civil action after exhausting administrative remedies under the Act. Administrative remedies are exhausted if:\n(1) 180 days have elapsed since the complainant filed a sufficient complaint and NSF has made no finding with regard to the complaint; or\n(2) NSF issues any finding in favor of the recipient.\n(b) If NSF fails to make a finding within 180 days or issues a finding in favor of the recipient, NSF will:\n(1) Promptly advise the complainant of this fact; and\n(2) Advise the complainant of his or her right to bring a civil action for injunctive relief under 42 U.S.C. 6104; and\n(3) Inform the complainant that under 42 U.S.C. 6104:\n(i) The complainant may bring a civil action only in a United States District court for the district in which the recipient is located or transacts business;\n(ii) A complainant prevailing in a civil action has the right to be awarded the costs of the action, including reasonable attorney's fees, but that the complainant must demand these costs in the complaint;\n(iii) Before commencing the action the complainant shall give 30 days notice by registered mail to the Director, the Attorney General of the United States, and the recipient;\n(iv) The notice must state the alleged violation of the Act; the relief requested; the court in which the complainant is bringing the action; and whether or not attorney's fees are demanded in the event the complainant prevails; and\n(v) The complainant may not bring an action if the same alleged violation of the Act by the same recipient is the subject of a pending action in any court of the United States.","path":["Title 45—Public Welfare","Subtitle B—Regulations Relating to Public Welfare","CHAPTER VI—NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION","PART 617—NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF AGE IN PROGRAMS OR ACTIVITIES RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM NSF"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-45.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:26:21Z","sha256":"15dea4547a5a3170c15e4f3cd28da55859a4de9863e8ea98d77974d5d9a3d72a","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/45-cfr-617.14","next":"us/45-cfr-617.16"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}