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Publication #FE401

2003 Handbook of Employment Regulations Affecting Florida Farm Employers and Workers: Human Rights Act of 1977 [State]1

Leo C. Polopolus, Michael T. Olexa, Fritz Roka, and Carol Fountain2

Purpose

To protect employees from workplace discrimination.

Who Must Comply

All employers of fifteen or more workers for at least twenty weeks in the current or preceding year.

Employers Must

Refrain from any discriminatory practices based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap, or marital status, such as:

  • Discharge or failure or refusal to hire.

  • Discrimination on compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment.

  • Limiting, segregating, or classifying employees or applicants for employment.

  • Discrimination in apprenticeship or training programs.

  • Printing or causing to be printed or published any notice of employment which specifies a discriminatory preference or limitation.

  • Discrimination against anyone who opposes discriminatory practices or assists, testifies, or participates in any discrimination investigation.

  • Discrimination in the sale, rental, or financing of housing.

Post a notice, in a conspicuous place, setting forth the basic provisions of the Human Rights Act of 1977 and indicating how and where to file complaints.

Preserve all employment records once a complaint has been filed against the employer.

Employees have 180 days from the date of a perceived discriminatory act to file a complaint with the Florida Commission on Human Relations at its offices in Tallahassee.

Other Information

  • Chapter 760, Florida Statutes

  • Section 22-T, Florida Administrative Code

Responsible Agency

Florida Commission on Human Relations
2009 Apalachee Parkway, Suite 100
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Phone (850) 488-7082 or
dial toll-free 1(800) 342-8170
http://fchr.state.fl.us

Footnotes

1.

This is EDIS document FE401, a publication of the Department of Food and Resource Economics, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Published July 2003. This information is included in Circular 1200, Handbook of Employment Regulations Affecting Florida Farm Employers and Workers. First published February 1992 as Circular 1043. Revised December 2002 as Circular 1200. Please visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

Leo C. Polopolus, Professor Emeritus, Department of Food and Resource Economics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL; Michael T. Olexa, Professor, Department of Food and Resource Economics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL; Fritz Roka, Associate Professor, Department of Food and Resource Economics, Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, Immokalee, FL; and Carol Fountain, Assistant Editor, Department of Food and Resource Economics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL; Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

This document is designed to provide accurate, current, and authoritative information on the subject. However, since the laws, administrative rulings, and court decisions on which it is based are subject to constant revision, portions of this publication could become outdated at any time. This publication is distributed with the understanding that the authors are not engaged in rendering legal or other professional advice, and the information contained herein should not be regarded as a substitute for professional advice. For these reasons, the utilization of these materials by any person constitutes an agreement to hold harmless the authors, the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, and the University of Florida for any liability claims, damages, or expenses that may be incurred by any person as a result of reference to or reliance on the information contained in this publication.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.