Liability for Unlawful Employment Practices (H 5445)

We supported legislation that would have made individual employee-supervisors, and not just the company employing them, subject to personal liability for their own acts of discrimination. This change would improve the ability of all persons to obtain relief under the state Fair Employment Practices Act from discrimination or retaliation in the workplace, including those asserting claims based on race, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex. The bill is made necessary by a R.I. Supreme Court decision holding that the law does not allow suits against supervisors. This legislation died in committee.