Commission on Human Rights
Kentucky Commission on Human Rights issues May rulings on discrimination complaints

May 17, 2012, LOUISVILLE, KY – The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights Board of Commissioners met today to rule on discrimination complaints on behalf of the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

At its headquarters in Louisville, Ky., the board ruled to dismiss 23 complaints with findings of no probable cause to believe discrimination occurred, accept three case withdrawals giving complainants the right to file private suits, and accept four withdrawals where parties reached private settlements once the complaints were filed with the commission.

The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights is the state government authority that enforces the Kentucky Civil Rights Act including the state Fair Housing Act. As an affiliate of federal government entities such as the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights enforces federal civil rights laws such as the U.S. Civil Rights Act, the U.S. Fair Housing Act, the U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Act.

The Kentucky Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the areas of housing, employment, public accommodations, and financial transactions. Protected classes include race, color, religion, national origin, disability, sex, age (40 years-old and over in employment), tobacco-smoking status (in employment), and familial status, which protects pregnant women and families with children under 18 years-old (in housing). It is illegal to retaliate against any person who has made a discrimination complaint to the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights.

For help with discrimination or to ask for free educational materials, contact the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights at 1.800.292.5566. For more information about civil rights, call or visit the website at www.kchr.ky.gov. From there, link to the commission Face Book and Twitter pages for news and announcements regarding protected classes.

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