Wake County expected hundreds of non-discrimination complaints. It got 24.
When Wake County launched its nondiscrimination ordinance expanding protections for people in public spaces, commissioners expected a flood of complaints.
Instead they got a trickle.
One man described being asked to take off his religious headwear and a restaurant worker calling it a “durag.”
Another man described a bank closing his account after he added his husband’s name to the account.
In one complaint, a man said a restaurant’s decision to require a COVID-19 vaccine to enter was discriminatory.
“It was definitely a labor of love and out of concern for people (who) we wanted to be treated equally to everybody else,” said Wake County Commissioner Vickie Adamson. “And when we started this, I would have guessed the complaints would have been in the hundreds. That’s kind of what we were prepared for.”
In 2021 the Wake County Board of Commissioners adopted an ordinance prohibiting discrimination in public accommodations and employment. Protected categories included race, hairstyles, ethnicity, creed, color, sex, pregnancy, marital or familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, National Guard or veteran status, religious belief, age or disability.
The ordinance only applies to places open to the public like stores, restaurants and hotels and includes workplaces, including during the hiring process. It doesn’t apply to private disputes, religious organizations or bathrooms.
5 complaints sent to Campbell Law School
The ordinance took effect in February 2022. The commissioners learned this week how many complaints were received in the past year.
Of the 24 complaints many were dismissed. Some were outside Wake County’s physical jurisdiction. Some didn’t apply to public accommodations. Five were sent to Campbell Law School’s Restorative Justice Clinic for mediation.
“I think what we have seen here is a resounding positive response in our community,” said Commissioner Matt Calabria. “We designed something in partnership with a lot of our community partners and state partners and residents and staff to be something that is not ominous, but it’s not toothless. It is judicious and promotes conciliatory, collaborative justice. And I think that’s what we’ve gotten.”
The ordinance applies to the unincorporated parts of Wake County and in the municipal limits of cities and towns that have signed on to it. Those cities include Apex, Cary, Garner, Knightdale, Raleigh, Morrisville, Rolesville and Wendell. About half of the complaints came from Raleigh.
“While the numbers are low, the question becomes, is it because we need to increase the visibility and the awareness and also educate the community on the scope and the breadth of the NDO, which is something that we’re going to improve,” said Danya Perry, Wake County’s inaugural diversity, equity and inclusion director.
“But also, over the years, we may find out that is also symbolic of our community’s efforts to ultimately stamp out any type of discrimination that goes on,” Perry said.
This story was originally published March 17, 2023 at 11:15 AM.
