Bill Text: MN SF25 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Discrimination against unemployed individuals prohibition

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-01-14 - Referred to Jobs, Agriculture and Rural Development [SF25 Detail]

Download: Minnesota-2013-SF25-Introduced.html

1.1A bill for an act
1.2relating to employment; prohibiting discrimination against unemployed
1.3individuals; providing for civil penalties;proposing coding for new law in
1.4Minnesota Statutes, chapter 181.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6    Section 1. [181.646] DISCRIMINATION AGAINST UNEMPLOYED
1.7INDIVIDUALS PROHIBITED.
1.8    Subdivision 1. Definition. As used in this section, "employer" means a person
1.9who employs another to perform a service for hire. Employer includes any agent,
1.10representative, or designee of an employer who, for money or other valuable consideration
1.11paid or promised to be paid, performs any recruiting.
1.12    Subd. 2. General prohibition. It shall be unlawful for an employer to discriminate
1.13against an individual based on unemployment status by:
1.14(1) refusing to consider or refusing to offer employment based on that status; or
1.15(2) directing or requesting an employment agency to take into account
1.16unemployment status when screening or referring applicants for employment.
1.17    Subd. 3. Advertisements. It shall be unlawful for an employer to publish in print or
1.18post electronically an employment advertisement that includes any of the following:
1.19(1) a provision stating or suggesting that current employment is a job qualification;
1.20(2) a provision stating or suggesting that an application from a job applicant who
1.21is currently unemployed will not be reviewed and the applicant will not be considered
1.22for an interview or be hired; or
1.23(3) a provision stating or suggesting that only applications for employment from
1.24applicants who are currently employed will be considered or reviewed.
2.1    Subd. 4. Exceptions. This section does not prohibit:
2.2(1) granting a preference in employment decisions to current employees of the
2.3employer; or
2.4(2) requiring previous experience that is relevant to the employment.
2.5    Subd. 5. Penalty. An employer that violates this section is subject to a civil
2.6penalty of not more than $5,000 for the first violation and not more than $10,000 for
2.7each subsequent violation.
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