Compliance Stuff

In April, the Commonwealth of Virginia enacted several bills amending the Virginia Human Rights Act, all effective on July 1, 2024 . Among these amendments are several employment-related updates regarding discrimination in the Commonwealth.   Discrimination Based on Ethnic Origin Prohibited On April 2, 2024, Governor Youngkin signed House Bill 18, which amends the Virginia Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on “ethnic origin” in employment. Ethnic origin is added to the following list of protected categories: Race  Color   Religion   Sex  Sexual Orientation   Gender Identity  Marital Status   Pregnancy   Childbirth (or related medical conditions including lactation)  Age   Military Status   Disability Ethnic or National Origin Updates to the discrimination provisions to include ethnic origin, labor organizations, employment agencies, and joint apprenticeship committees.  Of note, Virginia also...

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a bill significantly amending the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) on May 15, 2024. The MHRA, otherwise known as Minnesota’s anti-discrimination statute, already prohibited discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, marital status, disability, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, familial status, and age. The definitions of the protected classes covered by the MHRA were expanded , as were the remedies and enforcement capabilities of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR), the state agency responsible for enforcing the statute. Definition and Breadth of Protected Classes Expanded Protected Classes Under MHRA – “One or More”: The amendments specifically prohibit an employer from discriminating against an individual because of one or more of the identified protected classes. Definition of “Disability” Expanded: The definition of disability was expand...