The Dec. 14 report found that at least 63 local governments in 22 states — including such large urban areas as Chicago, Atlanta and Boston — have passed anti-discrimination laws that go beyond state and federal statutes in protecting caregivers at work.
While the proliferation of these laws has occurred over the last several years, the report noted that caregiver bias — also known as family responsibility discrimination — hit the legal profession’s radar screen in 2007. That’s when the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued guidance explaining how caregiver bias can be combated under existing federal law. This year, the EEOC suggested best practices for employers trying to accommodate caregivers.
