Discrimination at Work
R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-5-7 — an employer of four or more, a charge within one year, and the right to sue after one hundred twenty days
An employer may not refuse to hire, fire, or treat someone differently in pay or conditions because of race or color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, or country of ancestral origin, and must reasonably accommodate a disability.
An employer is the state, its subdivisions, and any person employing four or more people in Rhode Island.
One year. A charge goes to the commission for human rights within one year of the practice, or of its end or its effect, whichever is later.
Between one hundred twenty days and two years after filing, with no settlement or hearing, the person may ask for the right to sue. The commission grants it within thirty days, and suit is filed in superior court within ninety days.
Federal charges have their own deadlines. A particular job is a question for a licensed Rhode Island attorney.
Sources for this section (4)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-5-7 — Unlawful employment practices
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-5-6 — Definitions
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-5-17 — Conciliation of charges of unlawful practices
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-5-24.1 — Proceedings in superior court
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Rhode Island attorney.