Oakland City Attorney Barbara J. Parker released new guidance to remind all Oaklanders that local, state, and federal civil rights protections remain in full force and effect during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The FAQs remind us of all of the civil rights laws that remain in effect and provide specific examples of the kinds of behaviors that are particularly problematic forms of unlawful harassment or discrimination during the pandemic.
The FAQs also walk readers through the penalties that are provided for violations of civil rights laws, provide persons experiencing harassment and discrimination with resources to vindicate their rights list additional sources of reliable COVID-19 information.
Oakland is releasing these FAQs against the backdrop of thousands of reports of discrimination against Americans of Asian descent based on wholly false assertions that Asian Americans are responsible for or carriers of COVID-19, and with the reality that many are shaming or shunning disabled people based on misunderstandings about infection.
The guidance should serve as a warning to anyone who violates their fellow Oaklanders’ rights that the City Attorney remains committed to addressing illegal discrimination in all of its forms.
