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February 21, 2025
In This Issue:
This month, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights announced the following charges as the result of investigations.
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Kaylee Franz v. Cornock Rental Properties / Jeffrey Cornock
Filed: February 10, 2025
Basis: Failure to accommodate disability; retaliation
Area: Housing
Allegation: Franz alleged that Cornock refused to consider an accommodation of an assistance animal and ignored multiple requests. Franz further alleged that Cornock refused to renew the lease as a result of the complaint being filed.
Finding: MDCR conducted an impartial investigation and determined that, based on Cornock ignoring all Franz’s reasonable accommodation requests and his failure to engage in the interactive process, Franz was denied the full and equal enjoyment of the housing opportunity in violation of Michigan’s Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act (PWDCRA). Additionally, though Claimant was a model tenant who was always timely with her rent payments, Cornock refused to renew Claimant’s lease. MDCR found that Cornock took retaliatory action in response to Franz filing a complaint with MDCR.
Why This Matters: “Civil rights laws around reasonable accommodations in housing recognize that a person's address is often the only place on Earth where they can feel completely comfortable," said MDCR Executive Director, John E. Johnson, Jr. "Landlords and property owners in Michigan must consider all reasonable accommodations requested by a person with a disability to ensure the accessibility of home."
(Image is the MDCR logo and an outline drawing of weight scales with the text "Charge of Discrimination.")
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Taylor Lively v. Jim Jasienski
Filed: February 10, 2025
Basis: Sexual harassment; retaliation
Area: Housing
Allegation: During Lively’s tenancy in Jasienski’s property, Jasienski subjected Lively to sexual harassment in the form of inappropriate text messages of a sexual nature. After Lively rejected Jasienski’s sexual advances, the property owner observed an adult male with Lively in her apartment and increased her monthly rent. Lively moved out of the rental property within a month of moving in.
Finding: MDCR conducted an impartial investigation and determined that, based on Jasienski’s unwelcome sexual harassment as well as his retaliation when she rejected his advances, Lively was denied the full and equal enjoyment of the housing opportunity in violation of Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA).
Why This Matters: “Sexual harassment is an insidious act that, in this case, can destroy a victim’s ability to enjoy what should be the peaceful sanctuary of their own home,” said John E. Johnson, Jr., Executive Director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. “We hope this charge will put others who might be inclined to commit similar acts on notice that they could face serious consequences.”
(Image is the Michigan Department of Civil Rights logo)
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Next Steps on Both Cases:
- Once MDCR files a charge of discrimination, an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) will conduct a hearing where the Department and the Respondent will have the opportunity to present evidence.
- After hearing the evidence, the ALJ will then issue a Proposal for Decision, which is a recommendation to the Michigan Civil Rights Commission.
- If the ALJ determines that discrimination occurred, the Proposal for Decision would also include a recommendation on what remedies should be provided.
- The Commission will select one or more Commissioners to serve as Hearing Officers who are charged with drafting a final order and opinion for the full Commission’s consideration.
- The entire Commission will then vote on whether they agree with the proposed final order.
- There is no time limit imposed on drafting and approving the Commission’s final order and opinion, but efforts are made to present the matter to the Commission for consideration within 3-6 months.
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 Image is a flyer with a young smiling woman on the right and text on the left against a blue background. Text: MI RESPONSE TO HATE. VIRTUAL SESSION. MDCR invites you to join us for the MI Response to Hate virtual session, where we will discuss disability.
Date: February 27, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Accessibility: ASL Interpretation and CART captioning will be provided. If you require additional accommodations, contact Kimberly Williams at WilliamsK8@Michigan.gov.
Speakers:
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Bruce Adelson, CEO, Federal Compliance Consulting LLC
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Logo for the 2025 Civil Rights Summit including MDCR's logo in the upper left corner and the text "2025 Civil Rights Summit on Disability Rights" against a blue background in the upper right corner. At the bottom of the banner is the text "Accessibility Beyond Compliance in Michigan."
Date: May 8, 2025
Venue: Suburban Collection Showplace
Title: Disability Rights! Accessibility Beyond Compliance in Michigan
Location: Novi, Michigan
Time: 10:00AM to 4:00PM
Cost: Free to Attend
Workshop Topics:
- Accessible Healthcare for Michigan
- The Promise of Employment Accommodations
- Discrimination and Accessibility Policies and Intersectionality
- Moving Future to Present: AI, Digital Accessibility and New Technologies
Registration Opens April 1st!
(Image is the logo for Suburban Collection Showplace)
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The Michigan Department of Civil Rights has posted the below positions:
Communications Access Specialist
Hosted within the Division on Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing, this position will function as a specialist and will provide internal guidance on best practices, cultural competencies, and expertise on civil rights issues concerning the deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing community. Apply by March 11, 2025. You may view the posting at the following link: Communications Access Specialist.
Arab American Community Specialist
This position will be responsible for promoting voluntary compliance with civil rights laws in Michigan through educational programs and partnerships with the Michigan Arab American community, including organizations and businesses. Apply by February 23, 2025. You may view the posting at the following link: Arab American Community Specialist.
Public Information Officer
This specialist will function as the Public Information Officer (PIO) for MDCR and is responsible for managing two-way exchanges and disseminating information to the public, stakeholder organizations, and media on behalf of MDCR. Apply by February 25, 2025. You may view the posting at the following link: Public Information Officer.
(Image is MDCR's logo against a blue background and "We Are Hiring" in bold white letters.)
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