Employment discrimination (EEOC and state)
Tennessee CRED Civil Rights Enforcement Division Employer Response
The situation
David, 52, owns a 22-employee car dealership in Nashville. In August 2025, one month after CRED launched, he receives a letter on Tennessee Attorney General's Office letterhead: it's a CRED Request for Information (RFI) about a former service advisor who alleges race discrimination in compensation. David has 30 days to respond.
David is confused: he knows about the EEOC but has never heard of CRED. He searches online and finds the THRC website, but it's been taken down (the THRC was dissolved July 1). He finds CRED's new tn.gov/attorneygeneral/cred page, but it's bare-bones and has no employer guidance. David doesn't realize that unlike the old THRC (which would issue an administrative probable cause finding), CRED can investigate his dealership and then FILE A LAWSUIT IN CIRCUIT COURT directly if it concludes discrimination occurred.
Bass Berry & Sims quoted David $7,500 for "CRED RFI response and investigation support."
Who receives this
Tennessee employers with 8–100 employees in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga receiving CRED RFIs following the July 2025 THRC dissolution. The new CRED structure makes the first 12–18 months (2025–2026) a critical "why now" window as employers navigate the unfamiliar new process.
Why the agency will not advise you
The new CRED launched July 2025 with zero employer guidance resources. No employment law firm has published a self-serve tool for CRED responses (they publish client alerts that explain the new structure).
Key facts, with sources
- On July 1, 2025, Tennessee's Public Chapter 471 officially dissolved the Tennessee Human Rights Commission (THRC) and created the Civil Rights Enforcement Division (CRED) within the Tennessee Attorney General's Office. CRED enforces the Tennessee Human Rights Act (THRA, T.C.A. § 4-21-401 et seq.), Tennessee Disability Act (T.C.A. § 8-50-103), and Tennessee Age Discrimination Act (T.C.A. § 4-21-401). The new CRED model differs fundamentally from the THRC: CRED investigates complaints, conducts mediations and conciliations, and, when necessary, files civil lawsuits directly in circuit court on behalf of complainants and the State of Tennessee. CRED does NOT issue administrative 'probable cause' rulings or conduct administrative hearings. This means employer responses to CRED RFIs carry pre-litigation weight, CRED uses RFI responses to decide whether to file suit. THRA covers employers with 8 or more employees. Source: Tennessee Attorney General's Office — Civil Rights Enforcement Division · Tennessee Has a Brand-New Framework for Employment Discrimination Enforcement — Fisher Phillips · Tennessee Attorney General's Office Opens Civil Rights Enforcement Division (July 1, 2025)
When to bring in a professional
Self-serve responses fit routine cases: clear facts, amounts a business can absorb, and a deadline still ahead of you. Bring in a licensed professional when the amount at stake is large relative to their fee, the facts are genuinely disputed, criminal exposure is possible, or the deadline has already passed. A short paid consultation to sanity-check your plan is often worth it even when you handle the filing yourself.
Interactive tools for Employment discrimination (EEOC and state) notices
EEOC Charge Position Statement: answer a short set of questions, get your deadline and options free, then the full document package if you want it.
Related notices
All sources for this guide
This guide is general information compiled from the cited public sources, last verified on the date above. It is not legal advice, and rules change; confirm anything you rely on against the linked source or with a licensed professional in your state.