NewsKnow the Law

Actions

Know the Law – Grand Rapids Human Rights Ordinance

Posted at 9:00 AM, Oct 12, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-21 10:40:39-04

The city of Grand Rapids recently passed an ordinance banning discrimination pertaining to nearly every aspect of a person’s life. Grand Rapids personal injury attorney, Tom Sinas, appeared to break down what the new ordinance means for residents in this week’s “Know the Law.”

Passed unanimously by city council, this ordinance goes into effect December 1, 2019. It is now illegal in Grand Rapids to discriminate against protected classes of people. These classes are very broad and can range from national origin to gender to height and weight. It’s no longer legal in specific areas that will likely affect many people - housing and employment. While this might seem straightforward, it becomes complicated in the actual implementation of this new ordinance. Tom goes on to give exact examples and how this will look on an everyday basis.