Rhode Island
Overview
Please review the information below as well as the information on the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity page and then return to the workplace harassment prevention course tab.
Harassment and discrimination based on a protected characteristic are prohibited under both federal and state law. The federal government and most state governments have agencies that help employers and employees understand these legal requirements and ensure compliance with the laws.
Protected Characteristics
Harassment or discrimination based on any protected characteristic set forth below is prohibited under state law in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island
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race
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color
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ancestral origin
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sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions)
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gender identity or expression
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sexual orientation
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age (40 or older)
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physical or mental disability
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religion
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military service
Applicable Laws
Rhode Island
The primary state law prohibiting employment discrimination, including harassment, is the Rhode Island Fair Employment Practices Act. See also the Rhode Island Civil Rights Act and the Rhode Island Civil Rights of People With Disabilities Act. Additionally, R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-6.7-1 prohibits discrimination based on genetic information.
Filing a Claim in Rhode Island
An employment discrimination or harassment claim may be filed with the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights, and/or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, depending on the employer’s size and the protected characteristic on which the claim is based. More information on federal law prohibiting employment discrimination and harassment is available on the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity page.
Retaliation Prohibited
Employer retaliation against an employee who files a discrimination or harassment complaint or is involved in the complaint process is unlawful.
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only.
It does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice.