Maryland Commission on Civil Rights Enforcing Title 20 of the State Government Article and Title 19 of the State Finance and Procurement Article, Annotated Code of Maryland: Maryland’s Anti-Discrimination Law PRESENTED BY KEITH MERKEY, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ASSOCIATE

The Mission of MCCR  The mission of the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights is to ensure equal opportunity to all through the enforcement of Maryland’s laws against discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and state contracts; to provide educational and outreach services related to the provisions of these laws; and to promote and improve civil rights in Maryland.  Our vision is to have a state that is free from any trace of unlawful discrimination

Areas of Equal Protection  Employment  Housing  Public Accommodations  State Contracts (Commercial Non- Discrimination)

Employment  Race  Gender/Sex  Age  Ethnicity  National Origin  Religion  Disability (mental and physical)  Color  Marital Status  Sexual Orientation  Genetic Information

Housing  Race  Gender/Sex  Ethnicity  National Origin  Religion  Color  Sexual Orientation  Disability(mental and physical)  Marital Status  Familial Status

Public Accommodations  Race  Gender/Sex  Ethnicity  National Origin  Religion  Color  Sexual Orientation  Disability (mental and physical)  Marital Status  Age

Main Functions  Intake  Investigation  Litigation  Education and Outreach

Intake  Complaint can be filed: in person, telephone, fax, letter, and online (for initial inquiry)  In FY 2013, MCCR received a total of 729 individual complaints of discrimination  Employment cases  Housing - 89 cases  Public Accommodations - 39 cases

Investigation  In FY 2013, MCCR completed the work on 764 individual complaints of discrimination  MCCR obtained over $2,169, in monetary benefits for the people of Maryland  MCCR has one of the highest acceptance rates of completed cases by HUD and EEOC in the nation  The age of MCCR’s pending case inventory is dramatically lower (around 1/3 lower) than the national average

Legal  The General Counsel’s Office of MCCR represents the agency in all legal manners  Provides legal counsel to MCCR Administrators and Commissioners  Provides training, counsel and legal guidance to MCCR’s investigators  Provides technical assistance of best practices under Title 20  Responsible for MCCR’s legislative agenda and monitoring of relevant proposed legislation

Education and Outreach  Employment, Public Accommodations, Fair Housing, Commercial Non-Discrimination, and Conflict Resolution  Outreach events for the public and private sectors  FY MCCR participated in 2 major outreach events and provided 91 individual training sessions  Through those events and sessions, over 4500 persons were reached

Contact Information Maryland Commission on Civil Rights 6 St. Paul Street, Suite 900 Baltimore, MD Phone: Toll-free: TTY/TDD Fax: Website:

Satellite Offices  Easton 301 Bay Street,Suite 301 Easton, Maryland Telephone: ext.345  Leonardtown Joseph P. Carter Center Leonard Hall Drive Post Office Box 653 Leonardtown, Maryland Telephone: Fax:  Hagerstown 44 North Potomac Street, Suite 202 Hagerstown, Maryland Telephone: Fax:  Salisbury Salisbury District Court Multi-Purpose Center 201 Baptist Street, Suite 33 Salisbury, Maryland Telephone: Fax