News about current legislation affecting workplace rights before the U.S. Congress and the legislatures of all 50 states.
Please note that some articles may no longer be available on the source's website, or may not be accessible without payment of a fee, as different sites have different archive policies.
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Maine's new anti-discrimination law takes effect today with little fanfare
Source: Nok-Noi Hauger, Bangor Daily News
Date: December 28, 2005
Starting today gays and lesbians in Maine have legal recourse to stand up to anyone denying them
services, housing or a job based on their sexual orientation. The new anti-discrimination law gives the Maine
Human Rights Commission the power to investigate complaints of bias against gays and lesbians. The Maine Human
Rights Act also prevents discrimination based upon race, sex, disability, religion, ancestry and age.
Rights law extends to transgendered
Source: Paul Carrier, Portland Press Herald
Date: October 24, 2005
The new Maine law that protects gays and lesbians from discrimination also makes it illegal to discriminate
against "transgendered" people, who have had sex-change operations or who dress and act as members of the
opposite gender. That sets Maine apart from most of the other 15 states that have gay-rights laws, because only
six protect people based on what the Maine law calls "gender identity or expression," in addition to barring
discrimination based on homosexuality, bisexuality and heterosexuality. The Maine law, whose fate will be in
the hands of referendum voters Nov. 8, prohibits discrimination--based on sexual orientation--in employment,
credit, housing, public accommodations or education.
Baldacci Signs Minimum Wage Bill
Source: Associated Press, WMTW
Date: May 13, 2004
Gov. John
Baldacci Monday signed legislation to give Maine minimum wage earners their first raise since January 2003. The
bill increases Maine's current hourly minimum, $6.25, by 25 cents an hour in two phases through October
2005.
