As Part of Disability Pride Month, Civil Rights Department Expands Civil Rights 101 Training Series to Include New Webinars Focused on Addressing Disability Discrimination

SACRAMENTO – As part of Disability Pride Month, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) today announced expanding its free “Civil Rights 101” webinar series to add new monthly trainings focused specifically on addressing disability discrimination. Each year, disability discrimination remains one of the most frequently cited concerns in civil rights complaints filed with the department. By expanding the webinar series, CRD continues to take action to proactively remind employers, housing providers, and members of the public of their responsibilities under California’s civil rights laws. The new webinars will help expand access to information on reasonable accommodations and other key topics related to disability rights in housing and employment.

“In the 34 years since the passage of the ADA, we’ve come a long way in recognizing and respecting the inherent dignity of people with disabilities,” said CRD Director Kevin Kish. “Yet, we also know that disability discrimination remains far too common in California and across the country. Whether it’s landlords who refuse to offer basic accommodations or employers who overlook otherwise qualified candidates, the challenges faced by Californians with disabilities are real, and we’re committed to doing our part to help fight back. This Disability Pride Month, we’re excited to expand on the resources we offer to help make sure Californians know their rights under the law.”

A crucial component of meeting CRD’s mission to enforce the state’s robust civil rights laws and reduce discrimination is ensuring Californians have accurate and timely information about their rights and responsibilities. CRD works to support this goal through a range of outreach efforts, including conducting trainings and presentations that reach hundreds of thousands of Californians each year, publishing and disseminating guides and factsheets on California’s civil rights laws, and working directly with community partners to identify and respond to the civil rights challenges faced by Californians across the state.

The new webinars focused on disability discrimination build on the success of the department’s initial launch last year of the “Civil Rights 101” webinar series covering a general introduction to civil rights protections in employment and housing. Alternating between issues around disability discrimination in housing or employment, the disability-focused webinars are geared toward educating tenants, housing seekers, landlords, property managers, housing providers, employers, hiring managers, human resource professionals, workers, job seekers, and the general public of their civil rights and responsibilities with respect to disability discrimination under the law.

In all, CRD will now have two free monthly webinars to help address basic questions around the application of California’s civil rights laws. The first webinar on disability discrimination will focus on fair housing rights for people with disabilities and will be held on July 26 to mark the 34th anniversary of the signing of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

You can register now to attend upcoming webinars by clicking on the links below:

• July 17: Employment 101 — Register
• July 26: Fair Housing Rights for People with Disabilities — Register
• August 7: Legal Protections for Workers with Disabilities — Register
• August 21: Fair Housing 101 – Register
• September 4: Fair Housing Rights for People with Disabilities — Register

CRD remains committed to combatting disability discrimination in California wherever it occurs. Earlier this year, the department helped reach a $230,000 mediated settlement for a former social work student over the alleged denial of a mental health accommodation for an internship program. In February, CRD announced a $110,000 mediated settlement with five Southern California assisted living facilities over alleged failures to provide American Sign Language interpretation for seniors with disabilities. Last year, the department secured a $375,000 settlement with a local government over allegations of an employee being unlawfully reprimanded and denied reasonable accommodations and work opportunities as a result of a request for a disability accommodation. CRD also helped obtain a $40,000 settlement involving a San Diego property management company over the alleged failure to take adequate steps to support a request for reasonable modifications to an apartment.

General information about the webinar series is available here. A list of guides and factsheets offered by CRD is available here. If you or someone you know has been the victim of discrimination, CRD may be able to assist you through its complaint process. General information about CRD’s complaint process and how to file a complaint is available here.

If you’d like to request an accommodation or assistance in another language to attend the online trainings, please email outreach@calcivilrights.ca.gov.

The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) is the state agency charged with enforcing California’s civil rights laws. CRD’s mission is to protect the people of California from unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and state-funded programs and activities, and from hate violence and human trafficking. For more information, visit calcivilrights.ca.gov.

View Press Release (PDF) As Part of Disability Pride Month, Civil Rights Department Expands Civil Rights 101 Training Series to Include New Webinars Focused on Addressing Disability Discrimination