Civil rights are the rights of individuals to be treated as equals under the law, which includes freedom from discrimination in employment. Most civil rights laws are federal, including those encoded in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, but states sometimes extend extra protections. In addition to federal protections, North Carolina's civil rights laws also prohibit discrimination on the basis of AIDS/HIV status, lawful use of a lawful product when not working, military status, and sickle cell or hemoglobin C trait.
The chart below highlights the basics of North Carolina civil rights laws. See FindLaw's Civil Rights section to learn more.
Code Section | 143-422.1, et seq. (Employment); 41A-1, et seq. (Housing) |
Agency | Human Relations Commission |
Administrative Preemption | No |
Private Action Permitted? | Employment: No; Housing: Yes |
Attorney Fees Recoverable by Plaintiff? | Employment: No; Housing: Yes |
Statute of Limitations | Employment: None; Housing: 1 yr. |
Note: State laws are constantly changing -- contact a North Carolina civil rights attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.
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North Carolina Civil Rights Laws: Related Resources