Commission on Human Rights
October 2006 Rulings of the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights

LOUISVILLE – The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights (KCHR) Board of Commissioners on Oct. 27, 2006, ruled to accept one conciliation agreement to resolve discrimination complaints in Kentucky.

In other business, the board dismissed 45 complaints with findings of no probable cause, dismissed two complaints under reconsideration with findings of no probable cause, accepted seven complaint withdrawals with private settlements, and accepted 10 complaint withdrawals with a right to sue.

Conciliation:
Lexington Fair Housing Council v. Newspaper Holdings Inc. d/b/a The Morehead News, in Morehead: The complaint alleged discrimination based on familial status in housing, a violation of the Kentucky Civil Rights Act (KRS 344.360) and the U.S. Fair Housing Act. The complainants alleged the newspaper published advertisements that were discriminatory. The newspaper denied all allegations of violations of the law and asserted the advertisements were accidentally placed by a new staff person, and that as soon as the mistake was realized, measures were taken to ensure compliance with the law. The respondent further asserted the ads did not forbid parents with children or pregnant women from applying for housing. The parties agreed to conciliate. The respondent agreed to compensate the complainant in the amount of $2,000, undergo Fair Housing training, undergo commission monitoring for three years, and provide the commission advertising space to promote Fair Housing rights to the public for the next year.

The KCHR is the state government agency that enforces The Kentucky Civil Rights Act and the policies of federal civil rights laws.  It receives initiates, investigates, conciliates and rules upon jurisdictional complaints. The KCHR has jurisdiction in housing, employment, public accommodations, and financial transactions.

The Kentucky Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in public accommodations, employment, housing, and financial transactions on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, and sex. Discrimination is further prohibited on the basis of familial status in housing, the basis of age (40 or over) in employment, and the basis of a person’s tobacco-smoking status in employment. 

Complaints not dismissed, settled or conciliated go to administrative hearing where commission decisions have the authority of a court of law.