Let me outline Michigan’s stance on disability rights. In 1976, the state passed the Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act (PWDCRA), which states that people with disabilities cannot be treated differently.
Whereas, according to the authority vested in the State of Michigan to protect its citizens from discriminatory practices, the following provisions shall govern the treatment of persons with disabilities within the state boundaries:
Here’s the deal with employment: Your boss can’t just decide not to hire you because you have a disability. That’s straight-up illegal. They have to work with you if you need something different to do your job correctly, as long as it doesn’t mess up their business operations.
Furthermore, considering public spaces, If you run a business – it doesn’t matter if it’s a fancy restaurant or a corner store – you’ve got to make sure people with disabilities can use your services. No exceptions.
Landlords need to play fair regarding housing (and this is important). They can’t pull any funny business like charging more rent or making up excuses not to rent to someone just because they have a disability. That’s explicitly prohibited under Section 102(2) of the Act, as mentioned earlier.
Schools have to step up, too. We can’t have kids or miss out on education because the system isn’t set up right for them. The law says they must figure out how to make it work for everyone.
And get this – if you try to get back at someone for standing up for their rights under this law? That’s going to land you in hot water real quick. The statute provides clear penalties for such retaliatory actions.
For reference, while we’ve got our own thing going here in Michigan, it lines up pretty well with what the feds require under the ADA. In fact, sometimes our rules go even further to protect people.
If anybody’s giving you grief about any of this stuff, you can take it up with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. That’s what they’re there for.
Note: The preceding text constitutes a general overview and should not be construed as comprehensive legal advice. Individual circumstances may vary.
