The Ohio Civil Rights Commission
Ohio, the 17th state to join the Union in 1803, a century and half later became the 16th State to enact Fair Employment Practices Legislation to prohibit unlawful racial discrimination. The law, Section 4112.01 of the Ohio Revised Code, was enacted by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor Michael V. DiSalle, on July 29, 1959.
It created a Fair Employment Practices Commission for Ohio. In 1961 the Legislature changed the agency’s name to The Ohio Civil Rights Commission. While primarily concerned with discrimination in employment, the Legislature directed the Commission to carry out a number of other important duties, and in addition granted discretionary authority to study, advise and issue statements regarding all civil rights matters.
The statute was later amended to protect equal opportunity in places of public accommodations (1961), housing (1965), credit (1976) and in institutions of higher education (1984) without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, ancestry, age or familial status (housing only).
As a quasi-judicial, administrative agency of the state, the general powers and duties of the Commission are to receive, investigate, render formal determinations, and conciliate charges of unlawful discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, credit and institutions of higher education.
The Commission is also mandated to “prepare a comprehensive educational program for the students of the public schools…and for other residents of this state, designed to eliminate prejudice, its harmful effects and its incompatibility with American principles of equality and fair play.”
Discrimantion in Public Accommodation is defined as any building, office store, tavern, restaurant, club, or other structure whose privileges and facilities are open to the public. It is unlawful for any proprietor or any employee, keeper, or manger of a place of public accommodation to deny any person the full enjoyment of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, or privileges based on the bases of race, sex, color, religion, age, marital status, national origin, disability, or ancestry.
It created a Fair Employment Practices Commission for Ohio. In 1961 the Legislature changed the agency’s name to The Ohio Civil Rights Commission. While primarily concerned with discrimination in employment, the Legislature directed the Commission to carry out a number of other important duties, and in addition granted discretionary authority to study, advise and issue statements regarding all civil rights matters.
The statute was later amended to protect equal opportunity in places of public accommodations (1961), housing (1965), credit (1976) and in institutions of higher education (1984) without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, ancestry, age or familial status (housing only).
As a quasi-judicial, administrative agency of the state, the general powers and duties of the Commission are to receive, investigate, render formal determinations, and conciliate charges of unlawful discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, credit and institutions of higher education.
The Commission is also mandated to “prepare a comprehensive educational program for the students of the public schools…and for other residents of this state, designed to eliminate prejudice, its harmful effects and its incompatibility with American principles of equality and fair play.”
Discrimantion in Public Accommodation is defined as any building, office store, tavern, restaurant, club, or other structure whose privileges and facilities are open to the public. It is unlawful for any proprietor or any employee, keeper, or manger of a place of public accommodation to deny any person the full enjoyment of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, or privileges based on the bases of race, sex, color, religion, age, marital status, national origin, disability, or ancestry.
