The practice or policy of discrimination against individuals because of their race or color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, or country of ancestral origin is a matter of state concern. Such discrimination foments domestic strife and unrest; threatens the rights and privileges of the inhabitants of the state; and undermines the foundations of a free democratic state. The denial of equal employment opportunities because of such discrimination and the consequent failure to utilize the productive capacities of individuals to their fullest extent deprive large segments of the population of the state of earnings necessary to maintain decent standards of living, necessitates their resort to public relief, and intensifies group conflicts, thereby resulting in grave injury to the public safety, health, and welfare.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-5-2
Legislative findings
Known as the State Fair Employment Practices Act
The act spans §§ 28–28 (52 sections).
P.L. 1949, ch. 2181, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 28-5-2; P.L. 1973, ch. 132, § 1; P.L. 1986, ch. 198, § 15; P.L. 1995, ch. 32, § 4; P.L. 1997, ch. 150, § 4; P.L. 2001, ch. 340, § 3.
Official source: Rhode Island General Assembly. Reproduced from public-domain Rhode Island statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.