It shall not be unlawful for an employer as defined in § 28-5-6(9)(i) or any agency or instrumentality of the state or a political subdivision of the state to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any person because of the person’s age if the action is taken with respect to the employment of a person as a firefighter or as a law enforcement officer and the person has attained the age of hiring or retirement in effect under any state statute, city or town ordinance, any collective bargaining agreement, or pension plan in effect on March 3, 1983. An employee whose retirement goes into effect shall be allowed to continue his or her employment until the end of the calendar year.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-5-7.1
Exemption of firefighter and law enforcement officer
Known as the State Fair Employment Practices Act
The act spans §§ 28-5-1 to 28-5-9 (52 sections).
Applied in 1 court decision — leading case O'Rourke v. Tiffany and Company (2021)
Most recently applied in O'Rourke v. Tiffany and Company (February 2021)
P.L. 1989, ch. 183 § 2.
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.