6/27/2024 2:39:59 PM
At the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, we’re building a world where Minnesotans can lead lives full of dignity and joy, free from discrimination.
That’s why we work with community members, legislators, and legal and civil rights experts to help ensure Minnesotans have a strong civil rights law to turn to if they were discriminated against.
During the 2024 legislative session, almost every policy provision that we worked to pass became law. It takes a lot of work for a bill to become law – thank you to everyone who helped!
Below, you’ll read about two of those changes. And, of course, despite all the work, not every bill will become law. For those that didn't become law, we were grateful to move the conversation forward and our work is not done!
Beginning August 1, 2024, Minnesotans with intermittent health conditions like diabetes or epilepsy, or who have cancer in remission, will now have protections from disability discrimination under the Minnesota Human Rights Act.
This means, for example, someone with epilepsy can request a reasonable accommodation from their employer without fear of being fired because of their epilepsy.
Previously under the law, that same person would not be eligible for any reasonable accommodation for their epilepsy and could have been fired because of their medical condition.
The Star Tribune recently highlighted this important change. Read about it here.
Beginning August 1, 2024, the definition of familial status in Minnesota’s civil rights law will be updated to clarify that familial status means parent(s) or guardian(s) having legal status and removes any reference to a minor “being domiciled.”
This change from “domiciled” to legal status is an important change to afford protections of the Minnesota Human Rights Act to families across the state.
Another important change in the definition includes clarifying that familial status includes living and caring for someone of any age who lacks the ability to meet essential requirements for physical health, safety, or self-care.
This means, for example, that someone who provides continuous care for another person cannot be denied housing because there is an additional adult in the home. Importantly, the person receiving continuous care does not need to have any legal relationship to the person providing the care.
Beginning January 1, 2025, employers that employ 30 or more employees must include a salary range and a description of benefits with a job posting.
This builds on Minnesota’s new pay history law, which prohibits employers from asking a job applicant about their current or past pay. The law encourages employers to rely on a job applicant’s skills and qualifications to set pay.
If you were asked about your past or current pay, fill out this form.
Both laws are important because they will help close the gender and racial pay gap.
For years, we worked alongside Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, legislators, and legal and policy experts to pass the Housing Stability Act so that Minnesotans are not discriminated against because they pay their rent with rental assistance.
In the end, the Housing Stability Act did not receive enough votes to pass. However, our work does not stop.
Later this summer, we’ll submit an amicus brief to the Minnesota Supreme Court. We’ll ask the court to overturn a 2010 Minnesota Court of Appeals case that misapplied the Minnesota Human Rights Act with regards to rental assistance.
While we do not know what the Court will decide, we do know that we’ll continue working on this to help make sure Minnesotans have stable housing, free from discrimination.
