Office of Human Rights reviewed
Committee calls for reorganization, more training, outreach
While a review committee found the Howard County Office of Human Rights to be effective in its investigations, compliance and resolutions, the group found there is still room for improvement, according to a report.
Composed of community leaders and experts, the Office of Human Rights Review Committee found the office needs organizational restructuring, internal and external training, development initiatives, and a stronger and more supported outreach and education program.
The committee was established in February after Howard County Executive Calvin Ball signed an executive order.
Ball said in statement the “committee’s report serves as a helpful roadmap.”
Ball “Addressing hate and protecting the rights of all are duties I take very seriously,” he said. “We still have work to do in order to create a community that is safe for everyone and one where everyone feels safe.”
Howard’s Office of Human Rights is tasked with investigating complaints, attempting to eliminate violations, and the overall administration and enforcement of the provisions of the county’s human rights law.
Under Howard’s law, it is illegal to discriminate based on someone’s race, color, creed, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, familial status, occupation, source of income and political opinion.
In 2018, the office reported 58 hate-bias incidents, 61 cases of employment discrimination, 16 housing discrimination reports and one report of public accommodation discrimination, according to the committee’s report.
Those cases included at least 32 complaints on race, 22 based on disability, 16 cases based on gender and nine complaints on sexual orientation.
In 2017, the office negotiated $170,251 in case settlements, received 94 discrimination complaints — a majority of which involved allegations of employment and housing discrimination — issued 51 findings and mediated 11 cases, according to a February news release.
See RIGHTS , page 5
Composed of community leaders and experts, the Office of Human Rights Review Committee found the office needs organizational restructuring, internal and external training, development initiatives, and a stronger and more supported outreach and education program.
The committee was established in February after Howard County Executive Calvin Ball signed an executive order.
Ball said in statement the “committee’s report serves as a helpful roadmap.”
Ball “Addressing hate and protecting the rights of all are duties I take very seriously,” he said. “We still have work to do in order to create a community that is safe for everyone and one where everyone feels safe.”
Howard’s Office of Human Rights is tasked with investigating complaints, attempting to eliminate violations, and the overall administration and enforcement of the provisions of the county’s human rights law.
Under Howard’s law, it is illegal to discriminate based on someone’s race, color, creed, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, familial status, occupation, source of income and political opinion.
In 2018, the office reported 58 hate-bias incidents, 61 cases of employment discrimination, 16 housing discrimination reports and one report of public accommodation discrimination, according to the committee’s report.
Those cases included at least 32 complaints on race, 22 based on disability, 16 cases based on gender and nine complaints on sexual orientation.
In 2017, the office negotiated $170,251 in case settlements, received 94 discrimination complaints — a majority of which involved allegations of employment and housing discrimination — issued 51 findings and mediated 11 cases, according to a February news release.
See RIGHTS , page 5
PREVIOUS ARTICLE
