Colorado Legislative Council Staff

REVISED NO FISCAL IMPACT

(replaces no fiscal impact dated January 23, 1999)

TITLE:            CONCERNING AUGMENTATION OF COLORADO EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION LAWS BY MAKING HARASSMENT AN UNFAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE DURING THE COURSE OF EMPLOYMENT.

Summary of Assessment

            The reengrossed bill makes it a discriminatory or unfair employment practice to harass during the course of employment. The bill would become effective July 1, 1999.

            The bill, by making it unlawful to harass any person during the course of employment, will allow the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, Division of Civil Rights, Department of Regulatory Agencies, to investigate such cases, and will reduce the number of such cases that it currently refers to the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. The division has indicated that it expects an increase in the number of new cases filed with the division, but any increase in the number of new cases would be offset by an equivalent reduction in referrals accepted from the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission.

            The Colorado Civil Rights Commission assumes that the total number of cases that would be filed with the commission would not change. It is anticipated that any resulting expenditures due to an increase in the workload of the Judicial Branch would be minimal and could be absorbed. The provisions of this bill will not impact any other state agency, or unit of local government. Therefore, this bill is assessed as having no fiscal impact.

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