Rhode Island Legislature Overrides Veto Of Limitations Extension for Civil Rights Claims

On Jan. 5, the Rhode Island legislature overrode Gov. Donald Carcieri's veto of SB 162 which extends from one year to three years the statute of limitations applicable to discrimination suits under the state's Civil Rights Act of 1990. That law prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, age, national origin or disability in making or enforcing contracts, in buying, selling or leasing real property and in various other matters. A Jan. 7 article from Lexology says this means that employers who terminate or take other action against an employee may not know for three years whether the action will be challenged. Unlike the state's Fair Employment Practices Act, the law does not require filing first with the Human Rights Commission before suit is filed in court.