Public Accommodations | Discrimination | Vermont

A “place of public accommodation” means “any school, restaurant, store, establishment or other facility at which services, facilities, goods, privileges, advantages, benefits, or accommodations are offered to the general public” (9 V.S.A. § 4501).

Yes. Vermont was among the first states to pass a comprehensive statewide law prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination in 1992 (e.g., 21 V.S.A. § 495 (employment)). “Sexual orientation” is defined as “female or male homosexuality, heterosexuality or bisexuality (1 V.S.A. § 143).

In May, 2007, Vermont became the third state in New England to explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity (Public Act 41, An Act Relating to Prohibiting Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity, 2007-2008 Leg., Reg. Sess. (Vt. 2007)). The law defines gender identity as “an individual’s actual or perceived gender identity, or gender-related characteristics intrinsically related to an individual’s gender or gender-identity, regardless of the individual’s assigned sex at birth” (1 V.S.A § 144).

As to sexual orientation, maybe.  Although the anti-discrimination laws themselves do not distinguish between actual and perceived sexual orientation, the questionnaire used by the Civil Rights Unit of the Attorney General’s Office allows people to complain of discrimination on account of both sexual orientation and perceived sexual orientation.  However, the Human Rights Commission does not make this distinction in its employment complaint form.  There is no case law on this.  (Note:  The school harassment law, which is discussed below in the Students’ Rights section, does explicitly provide protection for students and their family members who are or are perceived of as gay, lesbian or bisexual.  The hate crime law, discussed below, also applies to actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity.)

As to gender identity, and as noted above, gender identity is defined as either “actual or perceived gender identity.” This language includes discrimination based upon perception.

Such places may not, on account of a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or other protected characteristic, “refuse, withhold from or deny to that person any of the accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges of the place of public accommodation” (9 V.S.A. § 4502 (a)).

The protections based on marital status mean that a place of public accommodation may not discriminate against same-sex couples who are married or in a civil union (15 V.S.A. § 1204 (e)(7) (prohibitions against discrimination based on marital status apply equally to parties to a civil union).  Visit also discussion of civil unions below). However, a religious organization or any nonprofit organization operated, supervised or controlled by a religious organization shall not be required to provide services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods or privileges relating to the solemnization or celebration of a marriage (9 V.S.A. § 4502(l)).

There is an exception to this rule, stating that this law does not prohibit an establishment that provides lodging to transient guests (i.e. hotels, inns) with five or fewer rooms from restricting its accommodations based on sex or marital status (9 V.S.A. § 4502 (d)).

Public, independent, and post-secondary schools in Vermont are considered public accommodations and so students are protected from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Visit the section on Students’ Rights for further information about the rights and protections for school students.

Where you file a complaint depends on the type of discrimination you have experienced (i.e. employment, housing, credit, etc.) and whether the party you are complaining against is a state agency. Sometimes you have more that one option about where to file.

For Public Accommodations (as well as State Employment or Housing):

• 如果您认为您在就业方面受到了州政府机构的歧视，或者您认为您在公共场所（例如，零售店或其他企业拒绝提供服务）或住房方面受到了歧视，您可以向以下机构提出投诉：

佛蒙特州人权委员会
鲍德温街14-16号
蒙彼利埃，佛蒙特州 05633-6301
(800) 416-2010
(802) 828-1625
(802) 828-2481（传真）
human.rights@vermont.gov

投诉可以亲自、书面、通过传真或电子邮件宣誓提出，陈述有关涉嫌歧视的事实。

• 您也可以直接向涉嫌歧视发生地所在县的高等法院提起诉讼。

不一定。所有这些机构的流程都旨在让人们代表自己。但是，GLAD 强烈建议人们在整个诉讼过程中，以及选择直接向高等法院提起诉讼时，聘请律师代表自己。不仅有许多法律规则管辖这些流程，而且员工和其他被告很可能有法律代表。

向佛蒙特州人权委员会提交的歧视投诉必须在最后一起歧视行为发生后一年内提交（佛蒙特州法典第80-250-001条，第二条）。总检察长民权部门也规定投诉必须在一年内提交。如果您打算直接向高等法院提起诉讼，则应在最后一起歧视行为发生后三年内提交，但在某些情况下，您也可以在此之后提交。逾期提交投诉的情况很少，格拉德斯·阿德莱德鼓励人们尽快提交索赔。

如果您向人权委员会提交投诉，委员会工作人员将审查您的投诉，以确定其是否符合提起歧视索赔的基本要求。如果他们决定进行调查，您的投诉副本将发送给被投诉方（即被告），被告必须在十四 (14) 天内对指控作出回应（佛蒙特州法规 80-250-001，规则 10）。然后，委员会将指派一名调查员，调查您的索赔，以确定是否有合理理由相信您受到了歧视。在调查过程中，调查员可能会检查和复制记录和文件，并采访所有相关方和证人。然后，由州长任命的五名专员决定是否有合理理由采纳您的指控（9 VSA §§ 4551(a) 和 4554(d) – (e)）。

If you file a complaint with the Civil Rights Unit (CRU), the process is very similar, and is described in detail on the CRU’s website.

人权委员会和CRU均允许当事人在调查过程中的任何阶段进行自愿和解谈判，以解决案件。如果这些努力失败，人权委员会或CRU将在调查结束时发布调查结果，说明是否存在违法行为。

如果有合理理由， 除非委员会认定情况紧急，否则委员会将把案件送交“调解”或和解程序。如果谈判未能在六个月内达成各方均可接受的和解，委员会将向高等法院对被告提起诉讼，或驳回诉讼，除非各方同意延期以完成正在进行的谈判（《佛蒙特州公平分配法》第9卷第4554(e)节；《佛蒙特州法典》第80-250-001条，第31-32条）。

Similarly, if the CRU finds a violation of law, the respondent will be asked to engage in settlement negotiations to try to resolve the case.  If these negotiations fail, the CRU may file a complaint against the respondent in Superior Court (learn more 这里).

如果没有发现非法歧视的合理理由, the case will be dismissed at the Commission (9 V.S.A. § 4554(d)). If the CRU finds no violation of law, the file will be closed (learn more 这里).

此时，或在委员会或投诉审查小组 (CRU) 流程的任何阶段，您都可以决定向法院提起诉讼。务必牢记上述提起诉讼的截止日期。如果您在委员会调查期间提起诉讼，委员会将以行政方式驳回调查，但委员会可以就此事提起申诉或介入您的诉讼（《佛蒙特州法典》第 80-250-001 条，第 27 条）。

In public accommodations (and housing) cases, remedies may include injunctive relief, compensatory damages (expenses actually incurred because of unlawful action), and punitive damages (9 V.S.A. § 4506(a)). In addition, criminal penalties of fines up to $1000 may be imposed (9 V.S.A. § 4507).

在所有这些案件中，法院可以裁定律师费、费用（9 VSA §4506(b)(公共设施和住房)；21 VSA §495b(2)(就业)）以及其他符合反歧视法宗旨的适当救济（例如 培训计划、张贴通知、允许个人不受歧视地进入和使用公共设施）。

Yes. The state anti-discrimination laws for employment forbid taking any action against someone because of sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as race, color, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, place of birth, age, disability, HIV-related blood testing, family leave, and workers’ compensation. In public accommodations, the criteria are expanded to include marital status, but do not include age, ancestry and place of birth. In housing, the criteria are expanded to include intending to occupy a dwelling with one or more minor children and receipt of public assistance, but do not include ancestry and place of birth.

有可能，具体取决于您的具体情况。本出版物仅涉及佛蒙特州反歧视法，您可能还享有其他权利。

州或联邦法院： 您可以在向委员会、竞争救济小组 (CRU) 或平等就业机会委员会 (EEOC) 提交申请之后，或者不向委员会、竞争救济小组 (CRU) 或平等就业机会委员会 (EEOC) 提交申请，而选择向法院提起诉讼。您可以在上述时限内的任何时间向州法院提起诉讼。但是，要向联邦法院提起诉讼，您必须从 EEOC 撤回您的案件，EEOC 会解释何时以及如何撤回您的案件。

In addition, you may file a court case to address other claims that are not appropriately handled by discrimination agencies, such as when you are fired in violation of a contract, fired without the progressive discipline promised in an employee handbook, or fired for doing something the employer doesn’t like but that the law requires.  Similarly, if you have a claim for a violation of constitutional rights – for instance, if you are a teacher or a governmental employee who believes their free speech or equal protection rights were violated – then those matters must also be heard in court.

联系 GLAD Answers www.GLADAnswers.org 或在任何工作日拨打电话 800-455-4523 (GLAD) 讨论选择。

一般来说，仍在歧视性条件下工作或居住的人必须评估提起诉讼将如何影响他们的工作或住房，以及他们是否有能力承担这些可能的后果。当然，即使一个人被解雇或驱逐，他们也可能认为提起歧视诉讼不值得。这是个人选择，应在收集足够的信息和建议以做出明智的决定后再做出。

Some people prefer to meet with an attorney to evaluate the strength of their claims before filing a case. It is always helpful to bring the attorney an outline of what happened, organized by date and with an explanation of who the various players are (and how to get in touch with them).