Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of this bill is to amend the statute of limitations for filing claims related to unfair discriminatory practices under the Minnesota Human Rights Act. It aims to extend the timeframe for individuals to file such claims.

Main Provisions

• Extended Statute of Limitations: The bill proposes changing the statute of limitations from one year to ten years for filing a claim related to unfair discriminatory practices.
• Suspension of Limitation Period: The timeframe for filing claims can be suspended if the parties involved are engaged in dispute resolution processes. This includes methods like arbitration, conciliation, mediation, or grievance procedures linked to collective bargaining agreements or other official policies.
• Notification Requirement: If a respondent participates in a dispute resolution process before a charge is filed or a civil action is brought, they must notify both the department and the charging party in writing about their participation, the start and end dates of the process.
• Avoiding Statute of Limitations Defense: If the respondent fails to provide proper notification, they cannot claim that the statute of limitations has expired, unless ten years plus the suspension period have elapsed.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• The bill significantly extends the allowable period for filing claims from one year to ten years concerning discriminatory practices as defined by the Minnesota Human Rights Act.
• It ensures that any time spent in dispute resolution processes does not count towards the ten-year statute of limitations, thus protecting individuals' rights to seek justice.

Relevant Terms

• Statute of limitations
• Minnesota Human Rights Act
• Unfair discriminatory practice
• Dispute resolution
• Arbitration
• Conciliation
• Mediation
• Grievance procedures
• Collective bargaining agreement
• Sexual harassment
• Sexual violence