What You Need to Know About the Unruh Civil Rights Act
The Unruh Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in all places of public accommodation. Here’s everything you need to know about the Unruh Civil Rights Act.
The Unruh Civil Rights Act provides protection from discrimination by all business establishments in California, including housing and public accommodations. Business establishments include government and public entities as well.
Purpose of the Unruh Civil Rights Act
The Unruh Civil Rights Act serves as a preventative measure. Lawmakers thought that without it, businesses might fall into discriminatory practices. The Act seeks to compel recognition of equality in the right to the service offered by an organization or entity.
What Does Unruh Do?
Unruh prohibits discrimination in all places of public accommodation. It declares that all people within California are free and equal, regardless of their sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship, primary language, or immigration status.
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It holds that they are entitled to full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or services in all business establishments of every kind whatsoever.
The Act also holds that no business establishment can discriminate against, boycott, blacklist, or refuse to buy from, sell to, or trade with any person in California based on sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship, primary language, or immigration status of the person or of the person’s partners, members, stockholders, directors, officers, managers, superintendents, agents, employees, business associates, suppliers, or customers. Nor could it be because the person is perceived to have one or more of those characteristics, or the person is associated with another individual who has or is perceived to have any of those characteristics.
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Business Covered Under the Unruh Civil Rights Act
All businesses are covered under the Unruh Civil Rights Act, including but not limited to:
- Hotels and motels,
- Non-profit organizations that have a business purpose or a public accommodation,
- Restaurants,
- Theaters,
- Hospitals,
- Barbershops and beauty salons,
- Housing accommodations, including rental housing and shared-economy housing,
- Public agencies, and
- Retail establishments
Examples of Violations
Unruh Act violations can look different across varying establishments. Examples of Unruh Act violations include but are not limited to:
- A hotel charging a monetary service fee only to guests of a certain racial group but not to other guests of the hotel,
- A doctor refusing to treat a patient who has been diagnosed as HIV positive,
- A same-sex couple is denied a table at a restaurant even though there are vacant tables available and other customers are seated immediately,
- A visually impaired individual is told their service animal is not allowed in a store,
- Charging men and women different prices for comparable services, such as clothing alterations, haircuts, dry cleaning, or drinks at a restaurant or bar
What to do if one is a victim of discrimination based on a protected class
File a complaint with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH). The complaint must be filed within one year from the date of the last act of discrimination.
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If you or a loved one has experienced discrimination in a place of public accommodation, contact us. Get your free consultation with one of our experienced discrimination attorneys today!