5807795 Public Hearing (Joint) on B21-0211, Employment Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence Amendment Act of 2015 and B21-0244, Fair Credit History Screening Act of 2015  

  • Council of the District of Columbia

    COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY and Committee on Business, Consumer & Regulatory Affairs

    Notice of Joint Public Hearing

    1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004  

     

     

    Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie, Chairperson

    Committee on the Judiciary

     

    and

     

    Councilmember Vincent B. Orange, Sr., Chairperson

    Committee on Business, Consumer & Regulatory Affairs

     

                                                      

    Announce a Public Hearing on

     

     

    Bill 21-0211, the “Employment Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence Amendment Act of 2015”

     

    and

     

    Bill 21-0244, the “Fair Credit History Screening Act of 2015”

     

    Tuesday, January 26, 2016, 1:00 p.m.

    Room 123, John A. Wilson Building

    1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

     Washington, D.C. 20004

     

    On Tuesday, January 26, 2016, Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie, Chairperson of the Committee on the Judiciary, and Councilmember Vincent B. Orange, Sr., Chairperson of the Committee on Business, Consumer, & Regulatory Affairs, will hold a joint public hearing on Bill 21-0211, the “Employment Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence Amendment Act of 2015”, and Bill 21-0244, the “Fair Credit History Screening Act of 2015”. The hearing will be held in Room 123 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., at 1:00 p.m.

     

    The stated purpose of Bill 21-0211 is to amend the Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act of 2008 to protect victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking from discrimination in the workplace; to require an employer to provide reasonable accommodations to an employee who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking; and to prevent an employer from discharging, demoting, or suspending such an employee in retaliation for having received an accommodation or for taking time off from work due to a violent incident.

     

    The stated purpose of Bill 21-0244 is to remove barriers to gainful employment by prohibiting the consideration of a job applicant’s credit history until after a conditional offer of employment is made; to establish penalties; and to give authority for enforcement to the Office of Human Rights.

     

    The Committee invites the public to testify or to submit written testimony. Anyone wishing to testify at the hearing should contact Kate Mitchell, Committee Director, at (202) 727-8275, or via e-mail at kmitchell@dccouncil.us, and provide their name, telephone number, organizational affiliation, and title (if any) by close of business, January 21, 2016. Representatives of organizations will be allowed a maximum of five minutes for oral testimony, and individuals will be allowed a maximum of three minutes. Witnesses should bring twenty copies of their written testimony and, if possible, also submit a copy of their testimony electronically to kmitchell@dccouncil.us.

     

    For witnesses who are unable to testify at the hearing, written statements will be made part of the official record. Copies of written statements should be submitted either to the Committee or to Nyasha Smith, Secretary to the Council, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 5, Washington, D.C. 20004.  The record will close at the end of the business day on February 9, 2016.