Aktualności

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Nowe prawo stanu Maine dotyczące adopcji potwierdzającej zwiększa bezpieczeństwo rodzin LGBTQ+

Nowe prawo, którego orędownikiem jest poseł Matt Moonen, a które wczoraj podpisała gubernator Janet Mills, zapewnia kluczową ochronę rodzinom LGBTQ+, odzwierciedlając i wzmacniając wieloletnie zaangażowanie stanu Maine w ochronę wszystkich dzieci. Ustawa LD 1906 zapewni rodzicom LGBTQ+ i ich dzieciom większe bezpieczeństwo, szczególnie jeśli podróżują lub przeprowadzają się do miejsc poza stanem Maine, które są mniej przyjazne dla osób LGBTQ+.

Ustawa LD 1906 Ustawa umożliwiająca adopcję potwierdzającąusprawnia proces adopcji dla rodziców, którzy otrzymali dziecko w wyniku wspomaganego rozrodu i są już rodzicami zgodnie z prawem stanu Maine, aby mogli zabezpieczyć swoje rodzicielstwo poprzez orzeczenie o adopcji. Nowe prawo usuwa uciążliwe, kosztowne i niepotrzebne bariery, takie jak okresy oczekiwania i inspekcje domowe, z którymi często borykają się rodzice niebiologiczni, adoptując własne dzieci.

„Jesteśmy wdzięczni za przywództwo przedstawiciela Moonena i za wnikliwe rozważenie decyzji Komisji Sądowniczej, a także gubernatorowi Millsowi za podpisanie tego ważnego prawa mającego na celu promowanie sprawiedliwego i równego traktowania rodzin LGBTQ+” powiedziała Mary Bonauto, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), starszy dyrektor ds. praw obywatelskich i strategii prawnych.

„Rodzice LGBTQ+ słusznie martwią się o bezpieczeństwo swoich dzieci i rodzin w obliczu rosnącej dyskryminacji i uprzedzeń w całym kraju” dodała Polly Crozier, dyrektor ds. obrony rodziny w organizacji GLAD (GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders). „Widzieliśmy, jak sędziowie w innych stanach pozbawiali rodziców niebiologicznych praw rodzicielskich i wszyscy wiemy, że ekstremiści nasilają ataki legislacyjne na osoby LGBTQ+. Dekret adopcyjny zapewnia dodatkowe bezpieczeństwo rodzinom LGBTQ+, zwłaszcza jeśli podróżują lub przeprowadzają się poza stan Maine”.

Maine jest liderem w zapewnianiu każdemu dziecku bezpieczeństwa wynikającego z szanowanej relacji prawnej z rodzicem lub rodzicami. W 2015 roku stan uchwalił kompleksową ustawę Maine Parentage Act, która doprecyzowała prawo dotyczące rodzicielstwa i stała się impulsem dla innych stanów do poprawy ich ochrony. W 2021 roku Maine zostało 10.^ten stan w kraju, który pozwala rodzicom LGBTQ+ na potwierdzenie swojego pochodzenia za pomocą prostego formularza administracyjnego, Potwierdzenia Rodzicielstwa, który jest dostępny dla rodziców innej płci od dziesięcioleci.

Zgodnie z nowym prawem rodzice dzieci urodzonych za pomocą wspomaganego rozrodu, którzy są rodzicami na mocy ustawy Maine Parentage Act, muszą jedynie złożyć w sądzie petycję podpisaną przez obie strony, która zawiera kopię aktu urodzenia dziecka, wyjaśnienie okoliczności urodzenia dziecka za pomocą wspomaganego rozrodu, zaświadczenie, że każdy z wnioskodawców wyraził zgodę na urodzenie dziecka za pomocą wspomaganego rozrodu, zaświadczenie, że nie istnieją żadne sprzeczne roszczenia o rodzicielstwo, a także kopię aktu małżeństwa rodziców, w stosownych przypadkach.

Sąd orzeka o adopcji w ciągu 60 dni od ustalenia, że rodzic, który urodził dziecko, i jego małżonek byli małżeństwem w chwili narodzin dziecka, a dziecko urodziło się w wyniku wspomaganego rozrodu; lub, w przypadku rodziców niebędących w związku małżeńskim, że osoba, która urodziła dziecko, i jego małżonek wyrazili zgodę na wspomagane rozrodu; oraz że nie istnieją żadne sprzeczne roszczenia rodzicielskie.

Raport opublikowany na początku tego miesiąca przez Movement Advancement Project (MAP) we współpracy z COLAGE, Family Equality, GLAD i NCLR, Relacje zagrożone: dlaczego musimy zaktualizować stanowe przepisy dotyczące rodzicielstwa, aby chronić dzieci i rodziny Opisuje, jak obecna mozaika przepisów dotyczących rodzicielstwa w całym kraju – z których wiele, w przeciwieństwie do stanu Maine, nie było aktualizowanych od dziesięcioleci – naraża rodziców LGBTQ+ i ich dzieci na niebezpieczeństwo. W kontekście tej utrzymującej się w całym kraju podatności na niebezpieczeństwo, ustawa LD 1906 wprowadza kolejną istotną możliwość ochrony rodzin LGBTQ+ w stanie Maine.

Do GLAD przyłączono się świadectwo popierające LD 1906 przez Equality Maine i Amerykańską Akademię Pediatrii, oddział w Maine.

Aktualności

Dom » Maine » Page 5

The ACLU and GLAD are urging Maine’s public school leaders to protect students’ rights and inclusive learning environments

The ACLU of Maine and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) today sent a letter to Maine’s public school leaders demanding they uphold their own legal obligations and students’ First Amendment rights by stopping efforts to ban and censor books.

People in several communities and some lawmakers have called on schools to ban books, most frequently targeting stories of LGBTQ people and people of color. The open letter comes after the ACLU of Maine wrote individually to several Maine districts considering book bans over the past months.

Removing books from public school libraries simply because some people may disagree with their content threatens critical legal protections. Students have the right to equal educational opportunity and a First Amendment right to speak and receive information freely. The United States Supreme Court held over 40 years ago in Board of Education v. Pico that “local school boards may not remove books from school library shelves simply because they dislike the ideas contained in those books.”

“The organized national campaign to ban books featuring people of color and LGBTQ people has been exported to Maine,” said Mary L. Bonauto, Senior Director of Civil Rights and Legal Strategies at GLAD. “All students, including LGBTQ students and those whose races and ethnicities are smaller minorities in our communities, also need and deserve to learn in an environment that accepts and reflects who they are. This is why our laws protect students’ rights to access books in which they can see themselves, understand their history, and engage critically with the world around them.”

Access to books about LGBTQ people and people of color creates a more inclusive and supportive environment for students who see their own history and experiences reflected in those books. It also provides important opportunities for students to learn about experiences that differ from their own.

“Debates over whether to allow students to access specific books lose sight of one of public schools’ most fundamental roles: to teach young people to think for themselves,” said ACLU of Maine Legal Director Carol Garvan. “Students are better prepared to join and lead our society when they can access information from an array of viewpoints and freely exchange ideas. When politicians attempt to sanitize and whitewash our places of learning, students lose the opportunity to understand the world around them and draw their own conclusions.”

The letter notes that “when books are removed because community members disagree with the author’s message or point of view, that paves the way for an unending series of attempts to deny all children access to information based on personal views about what is objectionable for some children. Schools are too important to children’s development and the future of our country to become an arena for political intolerance.”

The letter asks “school board members, superintendents, and librarians to take a stand against censorship and protect student access to an equal and safe educational environment by resisting calls to remove books from school libraries.”

Read the letter.

2023 Pride Events

Dom » Maine » Page 5

About the Events

It’s Pride season and we can’t wait to celebrate at Pride events across New England! If you will be attending any of the events below, we hope you will stop by our GLAD table to say hello, check out some resources, and grab some free GLAD swag.

BAGLY Youth Pride
Saturday, May 20
The Greenway, Boston, MA
Dowiedz się więcej

Weekend Kobiet Kolorowych
Thursday, June 1-Sunday, June 4
Provincetown, MA
Dowiedz się więcej

Trans Resistance March and Festival for Black Trans Lives
Saturday, June 3
Franklin Park, Boston, MA
Dowiedz się więcej

Dyke March
Friday, June 9
Boston Common, Boston MA
Dowiedz się więcej

Boston Pride For The People
Saturday, June 10
City Hall Plaza, Boston, MA
Dowiedz się więcej

Rhode Island PrideFest
Saturday, June 17
Downtown Providence, RI
Dowiedz się więcej

Pride Portland
Saturday, June 17
Deering Oaks Park, Portland, ME
Dowiedz się więcej

Nashua Pride
Saturday, June 24
Nashua Public Library Parking Lot, Nashua, NH
Dowiedz się więcej

Boston Lesbigay Urban Pride
June 29-July 3
Boston, MA
Dowiedz się więcej

And don’t miss us this fall at Hartford Pride on September 9 and Worcester Pride on September 10!

Organizacje młodzieżowe | Maine

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RównośćMaine jest najstarszą i największą organizacją stanową działającą na rzecz tworzenia sprawiedliwego społeczeństwa dla lesbijek, gejów, osób biseksualnych, transseksualnych i queer mieszkańców stanu Maine.
Sojusz Dumy Hallowell świętuje Hallowell i tamtejszą społeczność LGBTQ+, oferując edukację, działalność informacyjną, orędownictwo i świętowanie w Hallowell i okolicach.
MaineTransNet zapewnia wsparcie i zasoby dla społeczności transpłciowej, rodzin i bliskich osób, a także podnosi świadomość na temat zróżnicowanych form tożsamości płciowej i jej wyrażania poprzez oferowanie szkoleń i konsultacji dla specjalistów ds. zdrowia psychicznego i pomocy społecznej.
Maine Youth Action Newtork (MYAN) jest ogólnokrajową siecią zaangażowanych dorosłych i pełnych pasji młodych ludzi, którzy wierzą w przemieniającą moc przywództwa młodzieży.
Nowe początki służy młodzieży uciekającej z domów, bezdomnej i ich rodzinom.
OUT Maine tworzy bardziej przyjazne i akceptujące społeczności dla młodzieży LGBTQ+, uwzględniając wszystkie jej tożsamości interseksualne.
Lewiston/Auburn bez składu ma na celu stworzenie bezpiecznego środowiska dla społeczności LGBTQ+ stanu Maine w wieku od 12 do 21 lat.
PFLAG to największa w kraju organizacja zajmująca się wspieraniem, edukacją i obroną praw osób LGBTQ+ oraz ich bliskich.
- PFLAG Portland
- PFLAG Waterville
Portland Outright jest programem skierowanym do młodzieży, który oferuje wsparcie i usługi młodym ludziom LGBTQQ+ i osobom o podobnych poglądach w regionie Portland w stanie Maine.
Fundacja na rzecz Równości Młodzieży Transpłciowej TYEF z siedzibą w stanie Maine świadczy usługi na terenie całej Nowej Anglii, zapewniając edukację, orędownictwo i wsparcie na rzecz dzieci i młodzieży transpłciowej i nieprzystosowanej płciowo oraz ich rodzin.

Youth | Schools | Maine

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(hiszpański)

Youth | Schools | Maine

Public schools are public – meaning they are for wszyscy. All students and families in a school district belong in the school community.

For student success, schools must provide safe, supportive, and welcoming environments so that all students can learn. This includes LGBTQ+ students.

Several different laws protect you against discrimination, bullying, and harassment at school by your peers or by adults. (These laws apply to all public schools and to private schools that receive government funding.) These prohibitions come from state law (such as the Maine Human Rights Act and Maine anti-bullying laws), federal nondiscrimination laws (including one called “Title IX” – about sex discrimination – and another called “Title VI” – about discrimination based on race, color, and national origin), and the U.S. Constitution. These are powerful protections for students, and they can be used to hold schools accountable for what happens on their watch.

At the local level, you might also have rights under policies adopted by your school board. You can often find those types of policies on the website of your school board or school district.

Your parents also have rights related to your education – whether they agree with how you identify, disagree, or are somewhere in the middle. We mention some of those rights below. We also have suggestions at the bottom of this page for how parents, students, and schools can work together to get the best outcomes for students.

This page provides an overview of the rights of students. Visit our Prawa uczniów LGBTQ+ w stanie Maine page to learn more about the laws providing these protections, what to do if you believe your rights are being violated, and other organizations that can support you. These pages are not legal advice; the law can be complicated, and how it applies to your situation will depend on specific circumstances. Jeśli masz pytania dotyczące wpływu niedawnych decyzji sądowych i wykonawczych na Twoje prawa wynikające z tytułu IX, odwiedź naszą stronę Strona Tytułu IX „Poznaj swoje prawa” aby dowiedzieć się więcej.

This page was last updated in November 2024. This area of law is continuing to develop.

Names & Pronouns

If you would like school staff to use your chosen name and pronouns, the Maine Human Rights Commission suggests that you or your parents should make that request to school staff in writing. Their position is that the school must then use your chosen name and pronouns on all documents and in all communications. However, your official student record has to use your legal name. If you have had a legal name change, your parent or guardian can ask the school to update your official record.

If you ask your school to use a chosen name for you but have not yet talked to your parent or guardian about that, you should know that using a nickname or other new name at school means that others will have and could share that information. And if you are a minor (under age 18) or in some other circumstances, your parents have a right to look at your student records. If you need help deciding whether to ask your school to use your chosen name, you should strongly consider talking with a trusted adult at home or at school first. A trusted adult might be able to help you think about your specific situation, or make a plan to share that part of yourself with a parent or guardian. You can also check to see whether your school has a policy listing a specific person to support transgender students. (Those policies are often on school board websites and may be titled “ACAAA” or “JB.”)

Learn more about the laws on names and pronouns.

Athletics & School Facilities

The Maine Human Rights Commission has stated that you are allowed to compete on high school sports teams consistent with your gender identity. The Maine Principals’ Association (which governs high school athletics) gives schools the authority to verify a student’s gender identity for the purpose of playing a sport – but your school is not allowed to request medical records or official documents to do so.

You also have the right to use the toilet, locker room, and shower facilities consistent with your gender identity.

Schools can decide to give any student—LGBTQ+ or not—the option to use facilities that provide extra privacy (like a single-stall restroom or curtained changing areas in a locker room). But schools can’t require you to use separate facilities based on your gender identity.

Learn more about the laws on athletics and school facilities.

Student Appearance

You are allowed to dress in line with your gender identity. If the school has a dress code, it should be applied consistent with your gender identity.

Learn more about the laws on student appearance.

GSAs

If you attend a public secondary school or a secondary school that receives any federal funding – which includes many private schools – and if your school allows any non-curricular clubs (a club not associated with a subject taught at your school) to meet during non-classroom time, you have the right to start a Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA) or other LGBTQ+ club.

Dzięki prawu zwanemu Ustawa o równym dostępie, your school is not allowed to discriminate against a GSA just because it addresses issues related to LGBTQ+ students.

Learn more about your rights to create a GSA.

School Counseling

If you are being counseled by a school counselor or school social worker, they móc be able to keep information you share confidential under a specific Maine law. This law applies to school counselors and school social workers who meet certain requirements. However, even counselors and social workers who meet those requirements can share information with another adult if you or others are in danger, or if they need to report child abuse or neglect. If you are trying to decide whether to talk with the counselor or social worker at your school, you can ask them to explain whether they are allowed to keep information confidential, and under what circumstances they would share what you tell them with your parent, guardian, or another adult.

Maine has a law to protect you from the practice of “conversion therapy,” a practice which seeks to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. School social workers and school counselors (and other licensed healthcare professionals) who practice conversion therapy can face discipline.

Learn more about school counseling laws.

Bullying & Harassment

You have the right to attend schools that are safe, secure, and peaceful environments so you can get the education you deserve. The Maine legislature has said that bullying can negatively impact the school environment and student learning and wellbeing. That is why bullying and discrimination are prohibited in Maine.

Bullying based on your actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected characteristics (including your race and ethnicity, religion, national origin, socioeconomic status, age, disability, gender, physical appearance, weight, and family status) is prohibited in Maine. Bullying is not allowed online or on any school property.

Bullying includes any communication (written, oral, or electronic) or physical act or gesture that:

Harms you or your property, or places you in a reasonable fear of harm;

Tworzy w szkole atmosferę zastraszenia lub wrogości; lub

Zakłóca Twoje wyniki w nauce lub możliwość uczestniczenia w zajęciach szkolnych.

Schools must have policies and procedures to prevent bullying and cyberbullying and address it when it occurs.

Learn more about anti-bullying laws.

School and Parent Collaboration

In some cases, there may be challenges for a student, their parents or guardians, and their school in reaching agreement on what will best support the student. If you and your parent are in agreement and struggling to get your school to see your point of view, see GLAD Law’s suggestions on steps you can take together.

Other times, students may be seeking support at school before they ask for it at home, and may ask schools for support in talking with their parent or guardian about any number of issues. In situations where a parent or guardian may not agree with how their child expresses their gender identity or sexual orientation at school, the Maine Human Rights Commission recommends that schools should try, whenever possible, to follow students’ wishes while they are at school. In practice, schools will likely consider the student’s individual circumstances – such as the student’s age, maturity, school engagement, what the school is hearing from the student and from their family and any other relevant information about how to proceed.

Just like students have certain rights under law, so do parents. And parents can monitor a child’s progress at home, on school portals, and by meeting with teachers or staff. Parents typically have strong relationships with their children and know them well enough that they can perceive when there is something they need to discuss. Many schools want to collaborate with parents as partners. Ideally, school staff and parents can reach out to one another to understand how to help each child succeed at school.

When disagreements arise, it can be helpful to remember that parents and teachers, school administrators, and staff all want students to be happy, healthy, and successful – in and out of the classroom. Parents will always be teachers to their children. And while parents can and do teach their values to their children at home, schools have to manage their students and school operations. This is why courts overwhelmingly reject claims that parents can direct schools’ day-to-day practices based on their beliefs about how educators should do their jobs.

Learn more about laws on parents and education.

If you believe your rights are being violated, visit our Rights of LGBTQ Students in Maine page to learn more about what steps you can take.

Masz jeszcze pytania? Contact GLAD Answers for free and confidential legal information, assistance, and referrals. Complete the online intake form at GLADAnswers.org, e-mail GLADAnswers@glad.orglub zostaw wiadomość głosową pod numerem 800-455-GLAD.

This page is endorsed by ACLU of Maine, RównośćMaine, I OUT Maine.

Youth | Justice | Maine

Dom » Maine » Page 5

Youth | Discrimination | Maine

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Does Maine have an anti-discrimination law protecting LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination?

Yes. On November 8, 2005, Maine voters agreed to keep in place a law, LD 1196, “An Act to Extend Civil Rights Protections to All People Regardless of Sexual Orientation”, passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor in the spring of 2005. The law went into effect December 28, 2005.

This marks the end of a long struggle in Maine to achieve legal protections for LGBTQ+ people. In November 1995, Maine voters rejected an attempt to limit the protected classes to those already included within the non-discrimination law. In May 1997, Maine approved an anti-discrimination law based on sexual orientation, but this law was repealed in a special election in February 1998. Then in November 2000, by the smallest of margins, Maine voters failed to ratify a second anti-discrimination law that had been approved by the legislature.

The law provides protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation which is defined as “… a person’s actual or perceived heterosexuality, bisexuality, homosexuality or gender identity or expression” (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4553 (9-C)).

Does it also protect people perceived as LGBTQ+?

Yes. The non-discrimination law specifically covers people who are perceived to be LGBTQ+.

Jakie rodzaje dyskryminacji obejmuje ustawa antydyskryminacyjna?

The Maine law prohibits discrimination in:

Zatrudnienie
Public Accommodations
Mieszkania
Credit and
Education (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4552 et seq.)

Are there any laws protecting LGBTQ+ students in Maine?

Yes. Several different laws protect students against discrimination, bullying, and harassment at school by peers or by adults. (These laws apply to all public schools and to private schools that receive government funding.) These prohibitions come from state law (such as the Maine Human Rights Act and Maine anti-bullying laws), federal nondiscrimination laws (including one called “Title IX” – about sex discrimination – and another called “Title VI” – about discrimination based on race, color, and national origin), and the U.S. Constitution. These are powerful protections for students, and they can be used to hold schools accountable for what happens on their watch.

At the local level, students might also have rights under policies adopted by their school board. You can often find those types of policies on the website of your school board or school district.

Odwiedź naszą Maine Know Your Rights page for LGBTQ+ students aby dowiedzieć się więcej.

Co mogę zrobić, jeśli jestem dyskryminowany w szkole?

There are many ways to approach the issue. If you believe your rights are being violated, visit our Rights of LGBTQ Students in Maine page to learn more about what steps you can take.

Are there other non-discrimination protections available in Maine?

Yes. Several cities and towns have enacted non-discrimination ordinances, including Portland, Falmouth, South Portland, Long Island, Orono, Sorrento, Westbrook and Bar Harbor. In Clarke v. Olsten Certified Healthcare Corp., the Maine Law Court assumed without so stating that the Portland ordinance is enforceable (714 A.2d 823 (Me. 1998)).

Does Maine have a law that bans conversion therapy?

Yes, in 2019 Maine became the 17th state to pass a law, LD 1025 An Act to Prohibit the Provision of Conversion Therapy to Minors by Certain Licensed Professionals. It prohibits licensed professionals from advertising and administering so-called conversion therapy methodology to minors. Failure to follow the law can result in the revocation of the professional’s license.

Stanowe i krajowe organizacje medyczne, zajmujące się zdrowiem psychicznym i opieką nad dziećmi sprzeciwiają się praktyce terapii konwersyjnej, której celem jest zmiana orientacji seksualnej lub tożsamości płciowej. Obszerna literatura fachowa wskazuje, że praktyka ta jest zarówno nieskuteczna w zmianie orientacji seksualnej lub tożsamości płciowej, jak i szkodliwa dla młodzieży. Młodzi ludzie poddani terapii konwersyjnej są narażeni na zwiększone ryzyko depresji, myśli i prób samobójczych oraz używania narkotyków.

Youth | Employment | Maine

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Does Maine have an anti-discrimination law protecting LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination in employment?

Does it also protect people perceived of as LGBTQ+ in employment?

Yes. The non-discrimination law specifically covers people who are perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

To whom does the non-discrimination law apply and what does it forbid?

The non-discrimination law applies to governmental employers (local and state) and private employers with any number of employees (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4553 (4) (definition of employer)). It forbids employers from refusing to hire, or discharging, or discriminating against the employee with respect to any employment matter, including hiring, tenure, promotion, transfer, compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment. Nor may an employer use any employment agency that discriminates (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4572 (1)(A)). Harassment based on sexual orientation is included within “terms and conditions” of employment.

Employment agencies may not refuse to: classify properly; refer their customers for employment; or otherwise discriminate because of sexual orientation. Labor organizations (e.g. unions) may not deny apprenticeship, membership or any membership rights or otherwise penalize or discriminate against their members because of sexual orientation (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4572 (1)(B) & (C)).

The law also forbids any employer, employment agency, or labor organization, prior to employment or membership, from eliciting or recording information about a person’s sexual orientation, printing any advertisement indicating any preference or limitation based on sexual orientation, or having a system of denying or limiting employment or membership opportunities based on sexual orientation (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4572 (1)(D)).

Does the law apply to every employer?

No, there is a religious exemption that provides:

“Employer” does not include a religious or fraternal corporation or association, not organized for private profit and in fact not conducted for private profit, with respect to employment of its members of the same religion, sect or fraternity, except for purposes of disability-related discrimination, in which case the corporation or association is considered to be an employer (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4553 (4) (definition of “employer”)).

This appears to mean that certain non-profit religious entities (not individuals) are exempt from the law, and a religious organization may require all applicants and employees to conform to the religious tenets of that organization (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4573-A (2)). The full scope of this exemption may be sorted out in specific court cases.

Does the non-discrimination law have any impact on my employer’s obligation to provide domestic partner benefits to my partner of the same-sex?

Possibly yes. The non-discrimination law can be a powerful tool to equalizing treatment in compensation, and therefore, valuable “fringe benefits.” As discussed below in the family section of this booklet, the state and several municipalities have already equalized some benefits like health insurance (this result also conforms with the better view of the law, i.e., that it is discrimination based on sexual orientation to condition benefits on a status (marriage) that only gay people cannot attain. See Alaska Civil Liberties Union v. State of Alaska, 122 P.3d 781 (Alaska 2005); Bedford v. N.H. Cmty. Technical Coll. Sys., Superior Court Order, 04-E-230 (May 3, 2006)).

Private employers in Maine are neither required to offer health insurance to their employees nor to offer spousal or family coverage. However, some employers who provide such coverage may be obligated to provide insurance to same-sex partners to comply with the Maine insurance laws and/or anti-discrimination law. This area of law is complicated and you should feel free to contact GLAD for information specific to your situation.

Does Maine law forbid sexual harassment?

Yes, sexual harassment is expressly prohibited by state law.

“Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when:

submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment;
submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual; or
such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment” (94-348 Rules of Maine Human Rights Com’n, 3.06 I (1). Available Tutaj).

Although the Maine Law Court has not specifically ruled on the question, it should be as unlawful to sexually harass a gay, lesbian or bisexual person as it is to harass a non-gay person. Some harassment is specifically anti-gay, and may be more fairly characterized as harassment on the basis of sexual orientation, which is discussed below. Other harassment is sexual in nature and more appropriately categorized as “sexual harassment.” Both types of harassment can happen to the same person, and both are forbidden.

Both the United States Supreme Court and several state courts have found same-sex sexual harassment to violate sexual harassment laws. Porównaj Oncale i Sundowner Offshore Services (9523 U.S. 75 (1998), man can sue for sexual harassment by other men under federal sexual harassment laws)) to Melnychenko v. 84 Lumber Co. (424 Mass. 285, 676 N.E.2d 45 (1997), (same-sex sexual harassment forbidden under Massachusetts state law)).

Are there any protections from sexual orientation harassment?

Yes. In September 2007, the Maine Human Rights Commission (MHRC) adopted amendments to its employment and housing rules that expressly acknowledged the existence of sexual orientation harassment (see generally 94-348 Me. Hum Rights Comm’n Reg. Ch. 3, § 3.12. Available Tutaj). Under these rules, unwelcome comments, jokes, acts, and other verbal or physical conduct on the basis of sexual orientation constitute harassment when:

submission to this conduct is a condition of employment or a term of membership in a union;
submission to or rejection of this conduct is used as a basis for a decision made by unions or employers that effect the individual;
such conduct interferes or attempts to interfere with the individuals work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or union environment (94-348 Me. Hum Rights Comm’n Reg. Ch. 3, § 3.12 (1) (a) – (c). Available Tutaj).

Employers or labor organizations are responsible for their actions and for those of their employees with respect to sexual orientation harassment (94-348 Me. Hum Rights Comm’n Reg. Ch. 3, § 3.12 (2). Available Tutaj).

Testowanie i prywatność | HIV/AIDS | Maine

Dom » Maine » Page 5

Questions and answers on HIV/AIDS Testing and Privacy. Also see our pages on Dyskryminacja w zakresie HIV/AIDS I Inne pytania dotyczące HIV.

Does Maine have a law for governing informed consent for HIV testing?

Yes. Maine law mandates that an HIV test must be “voluntary and undertaken only with the patient’s knowledge that an HIV test is planned” (5 M.R.S.A §19203-A).

Maine, however, has eliminated its requirement that no HIV test may be conducted without a patient’s specific written informed consent.

The law now requires only that “[a] patient must be informed orally or in writing that an HIV test will be performed unless the patient declines”(5. M.R.S.A. §19203-A (emphasis added). While the title of § 19203-A is “voluntary informed consent required,” Maine’s law is not an informed consent system. Informed consent, whether oral or written, requires that a patient affirmatively assent before a test can be done. Current Maine law simply requires that a patient be notified that a test will occur and places the burden on the patient to opt out.)

The law also requires that the information given to patients before the test include the meaning of positive and negative test results. In addition, the patient must have the opportunity to ask questions.

Maine law authorizes anonymous HIV testing sites (5 M.R.S.A. §19203-B).

Health insurers or healthcare plans requiring an HIV test must still obtain written informed consent to perform an HIV test (5 M.R.S.A. §19203-A (2)).

In addition, Maine law prohibits a health care provider from denying medical treatment solely because an individual has refused consent to an HIV test (5 M.R.S.A. § 19203-A (3)).

What information should a person receiving HIV testing be given?

In 2007, in order to streamline testing procedures, Maine eliminated mandatory pre-test counseling for an HIV test. Patients who test positive for HIV, however, must be offered post-test counseling, unless the patient declines by signing a waiver. The counseling must at a minimum include:

The reliability and significance of the test results.
Information about preventive practices and risk reduction.
Referrals for medical care and support services, as needed.(5 M.R.S.A. § 19204-A.)

A provider must offer face-to-face post-test counseling, but may provide an alternative means of providing the information if the client declines face-to-face counseling. In addition, a written memorandum summarizing the contents of the post-test counseling information must be provided to the client.

Czy lekarz może wykonać test na obecność wirusa HIV u osoby niepełnoletniej bez zgody rodzica lub opiekuna?

A physician may test a minor for HIV without obtaining the consent of the minor’s parent or guardian.(32 MRSA § 3292 permits a physician to provide medical treatment for venereal disease to a minor without parental consent. The Maine Department of Human Services has classified HIV as a venereal disease.)

In addition, a physician is not obligated to, but may, inform the minor’s guardian or parent of any medical treatment rendered, including HIV test results.

If confidentiality is important to you, it is a good idea to talk to your doctor up front and understand their policies on this issue.

Are there specific requirements for the testing of pregnant people?

All pregnant people must be informed orally or in writing that an HIV test will be included in the standard panel of prenatal medical tests, unless the person declines HIV testing. In addition, a health care provider is mandated to test a newborn for HIV within 12 hours of birth if the health care provider does not know the person who gave birth’s HIV status or “believes that HIV testing is medically necessary.” There is an exception to such newborn testing if the parent asserts an objection based on religious or conscientious beliefs.(5 M.R.S.A. § 19203-A(6))

Are there circumstances where Maine law permits HIV testing a person against their wishes?

Yes, Maine law permits involuntary HIV testing in certain limited circumstances, such as testing of a person convicted of a sexual assault crime, and of the source of an occupational exposure.

Are there state laws that protect the privacy of medical information, including HIV?

Maine law prohibits the disclosure of HIV test results to anyone other than the subject of the test without the subject’s authorization. (5 M.R.S.A. § 19203.)

When a medical record contains a person’s HIV status, the patient must elect in writing whether to authorize the release of that portion of the medical record. (5 M.R.S.A. § 19203-D.)

A health care provider who has been designated by the subject of the test to receive HIV test result information may make the results available only to other health care providers working directly with the patient and only for purposes of providing direct medical or dental patient care.(5 M.R.S.A. § 19203 (2).)

Are there exceptions to these privacy protections?

HIV status can still be shared in the event of a medical emergency or certain limited threats to others.

Czy osoba zakażona wirusem HIV ma konstytucyjne prawo do prywatności?

Yes, many courts have found that a person has a constitutional privacy right to the nondisclosure of HIV status. Courts have based this right on the Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which creates a privacy interest in avoiding disclosure of certain types of personal information.

The constitutional right to privacy can only be asserted when the person disclosing the information is a state or government actor — e.g. police, prison officials, or doctors at a state hospital.

How do courts determine if a person’s constitutional right to privacy has been violated?

Aby ustalić, czy doszło do naruszenia prawa do prywatności, sądy biorą pod uwagę charakter ingerencji w prywatność danej osoby oraz wagę, jaką należy nadać uzasadnionym powodom polityki lub praktyki rządu skutkującej ujawnieniem informacji.

Remedy for Unlawful HIV Testing or Disclosure

A person who violates Maine law regarding HIV testing or the confidentiality of HIV test results is liable to the subject for actual damages and costs plus a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for a negligent violation and $5,000 for an intentional violation (5 M.R.S.A. § 19206).

Remedy for Unlawful HIV Testing or Disclosure

Does Maine have reporting laws that require HIV or AIDS diagnoses to be reported to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services?

Yes. All states require that certain health conditions be reported to public health authorities in order to track epidemiological trends and develop effective prevention strategies. Maine requires that health care providers and facilities report the names of individuals diagnosed with AIDS or HIV to the Department of Health and Human Services within 48 hours of the diagnosis (Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Chapter 258 (Rules for the Control of Notifiable Disease Conditions), 10-144). Information is kept confidential and may not be disclosed except as permitted by 5 M.R.S.A. § 19203 (Maine’s law on confidentiality of HIV tests).

Public Accommodations | Discrimination | Maine

Dom » Maine » Page 5

What is a place of public accommodation?

A place of public accommodation means a facility operated by a private or public entity whose operations fall into categories such as lodging, restaurants, entertainment, public gathering, retail stores, service establishments, transportation, museums, libraries, recreation facilities, exercise or health facilities, schools and educational institutions, social service establishments, or government buildings. Generally, any establishment that caters to, or offers its goods, facilities or services to, or solicits or accepts patronage from the general public is a place of public accommodation (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4553 (8) (definition of “public accommodation”)).

Does Maine have an anti-discrimination law protecting LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination in places of public accommodation?

Does it also protect people perceived of as LGBTQ+ in places of public accommodation?

Yes. The non-discrimination law specifically covers people who are perceived to be LGBTQ+.

What does the law say about discrimination in places of public accommodation?

The law makes it illegal for places of public accommodation to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or “… in any manner withhold from or deny the full and equal enjoyment … of the accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods, services or privileges of public accommodation.” The law also makes it illegal to advertise that any place of public accommodation is restricted to people of a particular sexual orientation (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4592 (1)).

How do I file a complaint of discrimination? What happens after I file?

You should contact the Maine Human Rights Commission (MHRC) at (207) 624-6050, or at State House Station #51, Augusta, ME 04333-0051, or on the web at http://www.state.me.us/mhrc/index.shtml. The Commission prefers for people to file complaints in writing. For an overview of this process refer to the MHRC regulations, available at http://www.maine.gov/mhrc/laws/index.html.

The complaint must be under oath, state the name and address of the individual making the complaint as well as the entity he or she is complaining against (called the “respondent”). The complaint must set out the particulars of the alleged unlawful acts and the times they occurred (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4611).

Once a complaint is timely filed, a Commissioner or investigator will seek to resolve the matter. If he or she cannot do so, the Commission will proceed with an investigation to determine if there are reasonable grounds to believe that unlawful discrimination has occurred. The Commission has extensive powers during the course of the investigation. Among other things, it can examine persons, places and documents, and require attendance at a factfinding hearing, and issue subpoenas for persons or documents.

If the Commissioner or investigator concludes:

there are no reasonable grounds, it will dismiss the case, and the complainant may file a new case in the Superior Court (See generally 5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4612);
there are reasonable grounds, it will try to resolve the matter through settlement (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4612).

Once the Commission process is complete, and if settlement has failed, a person can file an action for relief in court. A person may also request a “right to sue” letter from the MHRC if there has been no court action filed and no conciliation agreement in place within 180 days of filing the complaint (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4612 (6)). The person may then file an action in the Superior Court (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4621). In some situations, the Commission may file an action in court on your behalf (See generally 5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4612).

Czy potrzebuję prawnika?

Not necessarily. The process is designed to allow people to represent themselves. However, GLAD strongly encourages people to find a lawyer to represent them throughout the process. Not only are there many legal rules governing the MHRC process, but employers and other respondents will almost certainly have legal representation. Please call the GLAD Answers for help or for an attorney referral.

Jakie są terminy na złożenie skargi dotyczącej dyskryminacji?

A complaint must be filed with the MHRC within 300 days of the discriminatory act or acts (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4611). There are virtually no exceptions for lateness, and GLAD encourages people to move promptly in filing claims. Actions filed in Superior Court must generally be filed “not more than 2 years after the act of unlawful discrimination complained of” (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4613(2)(C)).

What are the legal remedies for discrimination?

This is a complicated area and depends on a variety of factors, including the type of discrimination and its intersection with federal laws.

As a general matter, the MHRC tries to resolve cases in which reasonable cause is found. It is not empowered to award emotional distress damages or attorney’s fees, but the parties may agree to whatever terms are mutually satisfactory for resolving the issue (94-348 Rules of Maine Human Rights Com’n secs. 2.07, 2.08. 2.09. Available at http://www.maine.gov/mhrc/laws/index.html).

As a general matter, if a person has filed with the MHRC, completed the process there, and later files their case in court, then a full range of compensatory and injunctive relief is available (5 Me. Rev. Stat. secs. 4613, 4614). If a discrimination complainant takes their case to court without first filing at the MHRC, then only injunctive relief is available in court, such as a cease and desist order, or an order to do training or post notices (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4622).

The relief ordered by a court may include: (a) hiring, reinstatement and back pay in employment cases; (b) an order to rent or sell a specified housing accommodation (or one that is substantially identical), along with damages of up to three times any excessive price demanded, and civil penal damages, to the victim in housing cases; and (c) in all cases, where the individual has exhausted the MHRC process, an order for attorney’s fees, civil penal damages, cease and desist orders, and other relief that would fulfill the purposes of the anti-discrimination laws (e.g. training programs, posting of notices).

Can I claim discrimination on a basis other than sexual orientation?

Yes, but only if you are treated differently because of a personal characteristic protected by Maine law.

In public accommodations, it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry or national origin, as well as sexual orientation (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 4553 (8) (definition), 4592 (prohibition)).

Czy istnieją inne możliwości złożenia skargi na dyskryminację?

Być może tak, w zależności od faktów dotyczących Twojej konkretnej sytuacji.

State or Federal Court: After filing with the MHRC or EEOC, a person may decide to remove their discrimination case from those agencies and file in court. There are rules about when and how this must be done.

In addition, a person may file a court case to address other claims that are not appropriately handled by discrimination agencies. For example:

If a person is fired in violation of a contract, or fired without the progressive discipline promised in a handbook, or fired for doing something the employer doesn’t like but which the law requires, then these matters are beyond the scope of what the agencies can investigate and the matter can be pursued in court.
If a person has a claim for a violation of constitutional rights, such as a teacher or other governmental employee who believes their free speech or equal protection rights were violated, then those matters must be heard in court.

Co mogę zrobić, aby przygotować się przed złożeniem skargi dotyczącej dyskryminacji?

In evaluating your potential claims, you have the right to request a complete copy of your personnel file at any time (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 7071 (Employee right to request personnel file)). Personnel files are the official record of your employment and are an invaluable source of information (5 Me. Rev. Stat. sec. 7070 (Definition of personnel record)).

Whether you leave a job voluntarily or not, be cautious about signing any documents admitting to wrongdoing, or that waive your legal rights, or that are a supposed summary of what you said in an exit interview. Sometimes employees are upset or scared at the time they are terminating employment, but the documents will likely be enforceable against you later. Please be cautious.

As a general matter, people who are still working under discriminatory conditions have to evaluate how filing a case will affect their job or housing, and if they are willing to assume those possible consequences. Of course, even if a person has been fired, he or she may decide it is not worth it to pursue a discrimination claim. This is an individual choice which should be made after gathering enough information and advice to make an informed decision.

Some people prefer to meet with an attorney to evaluate the strength of their claims before filing a case. It is always helpful if you bring to your attorney an outline or diary of what happened. It is best if the information is organized by date and explains who the various players are (and how to get in touch with them), as well as what happened, who said what, and who was present for any important conversations or incidents.