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Discrimination Advancing Human Rights and Justice for All in Maryland since 1911
Know Your Rights About Discrimination Maryland Legal Aid: Who We Are What is Discrimination?
Maryland Legal Aid is a non-profi t law Discrimination happens when a person fi rm dedicated to providing or organization treats you diff erently or high-quality legal advocacy to protect harasses you because you are a member of a “protected group”. A protected and advance human rights for group can be based on a person’s: Maryland’s most vulnerable low- • Race income individuals, families, and communities. • Color Know Your Rights! • National Origin This brochure is for Maryland residents • Sex and contains general information • Familial Status about your rights, but is not meant to • Sexual Orientation be legal advice. Every eff ort is made • HIV Status to keep this information current. • Pregnancy However, the law sometimes changes. • Religion If you need information about your specifi c situation, or if you have a • Age pending legal case, you should seek • Disability counsel from Maryland Legal Aid or • Genetic Information another legal resource. • Marital Status
Federal, state, and local laws generally protect people if they are discriminated against because of their protected group
b www.mdlab.orgwww.mdlab.org 1 Discrimination is illegal.
Being punished for reporting discrimination Disability Discrimination is also illegal. In certain situations, even A disability is a physical or mental asking questions about a person being a condition that greatly limits a major part of a protected group is illegal. life activity such as walking, talking, seeing, hearing, learning, or working. A person may be discriminated against The disability does not need to be one by an individual, such as a landlord or that is life-long. Discrimination laws supervisor, or by a group of people, such define disability differently than the as government agencies, motels, homeless Social Security Administration or the shelters, substance abuse treatment Veterans Administration. facilities, healthcare providers, or non-profit programs. Sex Discrimination Sex discrimination involves treating Discrimination can occur in many places someone differently because of that such as on public transportation, in person’s sex, gender identity, or sexual restaurants, and in office buildings. orientation. Employment discrimination* can be National Origin Discrimination experienced on the job and while applying National origin discrimination includes, for a job if a person is asked discriminatory but is not limited to, treating someone pre-employment questions or given differently because that person speaks certain work conditions. Discrimination can a different language, shares a different also happen during job termination if an culture, wears certain articles of employer doesn’t pay wages to someone clothing due to their culture, or has a who is in a protected group. Discrimination certain ancestry or race. National origin at a person’s place of employment may discrimination sometimes overlaps with also include being sexually harassed or race or religion discrimination. being retaliated against or punished for filing a complaint. Discrimination under the ADA The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) *NOTE: Maryland employment discrimination law gives federal civil rights protections to applies to employers with 15 or more employees. individuals with disabilities similar to
2 www.mdlab.org 3 Examples of Discrimination those provided to individuals on the basis You may have experienced of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and discrimination if you belong to a religion. It guarantees equal opportunity protected group, and someone: for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, • Refuses to rent or sell you housing transportation, state and local • Tells you housing is not available when government services, and it really is available telecommunications. • Only shows you apartments or homes Are people living with HIV/AIDS in certain neighborhoods protected by the ADA? Yes. Under the ADA, people living with • Sets different rules for buying or renting HIV/AIDS are protected by the law, property for you than for others whether or not they have symptoms • Denies you services (including or have physical impairments that healthcare) or provides those services to substantially limit one or more major life you in a different way than others activities or major bodily functions. • Refuses to hire or promote you, fires People who are discriminated against you, or treats you differently than other because others think they have HIV/AIDS employees or applicants are also protected. For example, a person who was fired on the basis of a rumor that • Refuses to let you use a public or they have HIV/AIDS, even if they do not, is common bathroom protected by the law. • Refuses you a reasonable The ADA also protects people who are accommodation related to your discriminated against because they have a disability (e.g., a wheelchair ramp) known association or relationship with an individual who has HIV/AIDS. For example, the ADA would protect a person who does not have HIV/AIDS and who was denied a job because their roommate has HIV/AIDS.
4 www.mdlab.org 5 If you think you have been Reasonable Accommodation discriminated against: If you have a disability or belong to 1. You can file a complaint with certain protected groups, you have a government agency within the right to ask for a “reasonable 180 days: accommodation.” A reasonable accommodation is asking for something A. Department of Housing & to be changed to make your life easier. Urban Development (HUD) Generally, to ask for a reasonable Office of Fair Housing and accommodation, you need to share Equal Opportunity (FHEO) your disability or your protected group. Philadelphia Regional Office of FHEO Asking for a reasonable accommodation The Wanamaker Building is your decision alone. No one can force you to give this personal 100 Penn Square East, 12th Floor information. Being denied a reasonable Philadelphia, PA 19107 accommodation without a proper Phone: 215-861-7646 explanation is illegal. Toll-free: 888-799-2085 or Examples of reasonable 800-669-9777 accommodation requests include: TTY: 215-656-3540 or 800-927-9275 1. Asking your employer to make your Email: [email protected] job wheelchair accessible Website: https://www.hud.gov/program_ 2. Asking your landlord to install a grab offices/fair_housing_equal_opp bar in the bathroom tub B. Maryland Commission on Civil Rights 3. Asking that a service animal be 6 Saint Paul Street, Suite 900 allowed in your home or job Baltimore, MD 21202-1631 4. Asking for reading materials in Braille Phone: 410-767-8600 or large print Toll-free: 800-637-6247 5. Asking for a different work schedule TTY: 800-735-2258 6. Asking to attend a meeting by Email: [email protected] telephone instead of in-person Website: https://mccr.maryland.gov/
6 www.mdlab.org 7 C. Equal Employment Opportunities 2. You can contact an attorney: Commission (EEOC) Maryland Legal Aid may be able to help Baltimore Field Office you. See the list of Maryland Legal Aid GH Fallon Federal Building offices on the back of this booklet and 31 Hopkins Plaza, Suite 1432 contact the office that serves the county Baltimore, MD 21201 in which you live. Phone: 800-669-4000 TTY: 800-669-6820 ASL Video: 844-234-5122 www.eeoc.gov
Some cities and counties have additional protections or programs to help with discrimination complaints. Check with your local city or county government for more resources.
8 www.mdlab.org 9 Maryland Legal Aid Offices
Anne Arundel County Montgomery County 229 Hanover Street 600 Jefferson Plaza Annapolis, MD 21401 Suite 430 (410) 972-2700 Rockville, MD 20852 (800) 666-8330 (240) 314-0373 Baltimore City (855) 880-9487 500 E. Lexington Street Northeastern Maryland Baltimore, MD 21202 Cecil, Harford Telephone Intake Lines: 103 S. Hickory Avenue (410) 951-7750 Bel Air, MD 21014 (866) MD LAW 4U (410) 836-8202 (or 866-635-2948) (800) 444-9529 Business Line: Southern Maryland (410) 951-7777 Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s (800) 999-8904 15045 Burnt Store Road Baltimore County P.O. Box 249 Hughesville, MD 20637 215 Washington Avenue (301) 932-6661 Suite 305 (877) 310-1810 Towson, MD 21204 (410) 427-1800 Upper Eastern Shore (877) 878-5920 Caroline, Kent, Lower Eastern Shore Queen Anne’s, Talbot 106 N. Washington Street Dorchester, Somerset, Suite 101 Wicomico, Worcester Easton, MD 21601 111 High Street (410) 763-9676 Salisbury, MD 21801 (800) 477-2543 (410) 546-5511 (800) 444-4099 Western Maryland Metropolitan Maryland Allegany, Garrett 110 Greene Street Howard, Prince George’s Cumberland, MD 21502 8401 Corporate Drive (301) 777-7474 Suite 200 (866) 389-5243 Landover, MD 20785 (301) 560-2100 Statewide (888) 215-5316 Community Howard County Lawyering Initiative 3451 Court House Drive (443) 451-2805 2nd Floor Farmworker Program Ellicott City, MD 21043 (800) 444-4099 (410) 480-1057 Foreclosure Legal Midwestern Maryland Assistance Project Carroll, Frederick, Washington (888) 213-3320 22 S. Market Street Long-Term Care Suite 11 Assistance Project Frederick, MD 21701 (866) 635-2948 (301) 694-7414 Maryland Senior (800) 679-8813 Legal Helpline (866) 635-2948 Veterans’ Hotline (443) 863-4040 TTY Users: Call Maryland Relay, Dial 7-1-1 Visit www.peoples-law.org for self-help legal information and community resources. For more information visit www.mdlab.org.
01.2020 10.30.19