JEFFERSON CITY -- A group of African-American lawmakers on Monday vowed to oppose legislation making its way through the Missouri House and Senate that would make it more difficult to prove discrimination cases against former employers.
At a news conference at the Missouri Capitol, the Legislative Black Caucus argued that the bill would roll back decades of civil rights progress while protecting wrongdoers by limiting damages that can be awarded if discrimination is proved.“This legislation would be devastating to those who have been discriminated against in the workplace, and the Black Caucus is committed to fighting these bills every step of the way,” said Sen. Kiki Curls, a Kansas City Democrat.At issue are a pair of bills that would require workers who claim discrimination in wrongful-termination lawsuits to prove that bias was a “motivating” factor instead of a “contributing” factor, as mandated under current law. The change would make state law mirror the federal Civil Rights Act.The bills also would lower the amount of punitive damages that could be awarded in an employment discrimination case.Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, vetoed similar legislation last year.Read more Workplace
Posted on Mon, Jan. 30, 2012 10:38 PM
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Black caucus vows to fight worker discrimination bill
Legislation in Missouri would make it harder to prove cases against former employers.
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To reach Jason Hancock, call 573-634-3565 or send email to jhancock@kcstar.com.
