The Chatham County government recently joined Orange County and the Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough in passing a nondiscrimination ordinance. This expands the Chatham County Code of Ordinances to prohibit discrimination in places of public accommodations and in employment.
After House Bill 142 expired in December 2020, many local governments across North Carolina passed anti-discrimination ordinances. These ordinances aim to protect groups of people from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations.
Chatham County Attorney Bob Hagemann spoke at the Chatham County Commissioner meeting Monday about what the ordinance protects.
“It would be unlawful for those businesses to discriminate based on the protected characteristics which are race, natural hair and hairstyle, ethnicity, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, national ancestry, marital status, familial status, pregnancy, veteran status, religion, religious belief or nonbelief, age or disability” Hagemann said.
Hagemann said under the ordinance it would be unlawful for any employer in the county to discriminate in hiring based on one of those characteristics.
“Under state law, counties can enforce state ordinances in one of three ways,” Hagemann said. “Unless it is decriminalized, violence of an ordinance is a class three misdemeanor. Ordinances can also be enforced through civil penalties or civil fines. Finally, local governments can seek court orders directing compliance called an injunction and if a court enters an injunction and if violated the court then has powers to hold the violator in contempt.”
Chatham county staff modeled their ordinance after the towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough. Like Carrboro, Chatham county’s non-discrimination ordinance includes protection of natural hair.
Chatham County Commissioner Karen Howard addressed the room at the meeting about the expansion of the discrimination from race and gender to include things like natural hair.
“When I think about our kids and the kids that are coming behind them, gender and identity and hairstyle – like there are three women in here who could not wear their hairstyles in many professions,” Howard said. “It’s simply not a conversation if the three of us were sitting at this table. That neo-diversity, that evolution is happening [so] that these things may not be an issue very soon, but I’m so proud that we are bringing it to the table and making it an option for someone who feels that they were improperly treated, unfairly treated to be able to have some recourse.”
Howard said she was grateful for the board broadening the space to protect people in “whatever incarnation they show up.”
“We want to be a county where people are treated fairly, equally, equitably, and in a way that honors who exactly they believe themselves to be,” Howard said. “I think that’s powerful stuff.”
The Chatham County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the non-discrimination ordinance – which takes effect October 1.
Photo via the Chatham County Government.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.
"local" - Google News
August 20, 2021 at 04:08PM
https://ift.tt/3giCV9Y
Chatham County Becomes Latest Local Gov. to Adopt Nondiscrimination Ordinances - Chapelboro.com
"local" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2WoMCc3
https://ift.tt/2KVQLik
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Chatham County Becomes Latest Local Gov. to Adopt Nondiscrimination Ordinances - Chapelboro.com"
Post a Comment