Housing & Commercial Property Discrimination | Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (2024)

FAQs

How to answer a PhRC complaint? ›

Respondents have 30 days from the date the complaint is served to provide the PHRC with a written, verified answer, and send a copy to the complainant. If you are unable, to file an answer within this time, the PHRC may grant you an extension of no more than 30 additional days.

In general, Pennsylvania law prohibits discrimination based on race; color; religious creed; ancestry; age (40 and over); sex; national origin; familial status (only in housing); disability; the use, handling, or training of support or guide animals for disability; or retaliation.

The PHRC does not release records relating to a complaint filed with it through the Right-to-Know Law.

In the Sale and Rental of Housing:

It is illegal discrimination to take any of the following actions because of race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, familial status, or national origin: Refuse to rent or sell housing. Refuse to negotiate for housing.

Follow the directions on the EEOC charge notice.

This is your opportunity to explain why the claims in the charge are incorrect or not illegal. The EEOC encourages you to raise in your position statement any factual or legal defenses that you believe are applicable.

Filing a Claim for Employment Discrimination

Before you may file a lawsuit against your employer in court, you must first file a complaint of discrimination with either the EEOC or PHRC. You must file the complaint with either agency within 180 days of the adverse employment action.

The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) covers discrimination in employment, housing, commercial property, education, and public accommodations. The PHRA has been amended many times since its adoption in 1955, originally as the Pennsylvania Fair Employment Practice Act.

In order for the work environment to be to be considered a hostile work environment, a reasonable/average person and the harassed person must find the harassing conduct to be so unwelcome or offensive that it creates a work environment where he/she feels uncomfortable, scared, or intimidated in his/her workplace.

What do commissions on human relations or human rights do? ›

Investigate complaints of discrimination and violations of civil rights laws. Resolve community conflicts through dialogue and other dispute resolution methods. Educate the public on their legal rights and responsibilities.

The Human Relations Commission, a mayor-appointed advisory board, promotes intergroup peacebuilding, equity, and human rights in the City of Los Angeles by transforming community engagement and dialogue into sustainable programs and policy.

The Fair Housing Act is a federal law prohibits discrimination in housing in the United States on the basis of: Race. Color. National origin.

The Federal Fair Housing Act and California Fair Housing Laws prohibit the denial of housing to a person based on a person's membership in one or more protected classes. The federal protected classes are race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation), familial status, and disability.

For example, requiring a person in a situation of homelessness to have proof of a registered address in order to gain access to housing benefits or any other social benefits would be a form of indirect discrimination, as a homeless person would have no way of obtaining a residential registration certificate.

On a separate page or pages, write a short and plain statement of the answer to the allegations in the complaint. Number the paragraphs. The answer should correspond to each paragraph in the complaint, with paragraph 1 of the answer corresponding to paragraph 1 of the complaint, etc.

Be specific about date(s), action(s) and location(s) applicable to this case. Provide internal investigations of the alleged incidents or grievance hearing reports. Inform the EEOC if the matter has been resolved or can be resolved; if it can be resolved, please indicate your proposal for resolution.

Unless a different time is prescribed by statute, the Commission, or the presiding officer, answers to complaints and petitions shall be filed with the Commission within 20 days after the date of service.