Rights panel sees sharp rise in complaints by handicapped

AUGUSTA — Complaints filed with the Maine Human Rights Commission have soared to a record level, with a surge related to alleged bias against the physically handicapped, the state agency said Monday.

Releasing its annual report, the rights panel said complaints increased by 41 percent in the last two years, numbering 721 in the most recent 12-month period. That was the largest annual number ever. More than 82 percent of the complaints alleged discrimination in employment.

During the most recent two-year period, complaints alleging unlawful discrimination against the handicapped increased by 55 percent, officials said.

Physical handicap complaints now make up the largest single category of filings under investigation by the commission, slightly ahead of sex discrimination complaints. Those two categories now account for about two-thirds of commission complaints.

Another 15 percent of commission filings relate to allegations of age discrimination, while nearly 8 percent derived from so-called whistle-blower cases — alleging employment-related retaliation — that fall under a new area of jurisdiction for the commission.

The five-member commission, established in 1971, is empowered to enforce Maine laws prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing, education, access to public accommodations and the availability of credit.

During fiscal 1990, which ended June 30, the commission investigated and closed 619 cases, officials said. Settlements prior to a commission finding totaled 165, with a monetary value of $517,668.

Withdrawals numbered 88, and 56 cases were dismissed administratively.

In 34 completed cases, the commission found reasonable grounds to conclude that unlawful discrimination had occurred. The panel rejected 276 claims.

Officials said conciliation efforts were successful in 20 cases in which reasonable grounds were found, and unsuccessful in 14.