Champaign — Ch. 17 Human Rights § 17-36
Discrimination by an employer
Operative Text
(a) It shall be unlawful for an employer to do any of the following acts based upon unlawful discrimination; (i) To refuse to hire, to segregate, or otherwise to act against such person with respect to the hiring, selection, promotion, discharge, discipline, training for apprenticeship in any trade or craft, tenure, terms, or other conditions of employment; (ii) Unless otherwise authorized by law, to inquire on a written application whether a job applicant has ever been arrested; however, nothing in this section shall be construed as preventing any employer from inquiring in a written application whether an applicant has ever been convicted of any offense which is job-related; (iii) To engage in sexual harassment; provided that an employer shall be responsible for sexual harassment of an employer's employees for non-employees or nonmanagerial or nonsupervisory employees only if the employer becomes aware of the conduct and fails to take reasonable corrective measures. (b) Nothing in this section shall preclude an employer from hiring or selecting between persons for any reason except for the unlawful practices specifically prohibited herein, or a bona fide occupational qualification; nor shall anything in this section preclude any employer from giving or acting on the results of any ability test provided that such test, its administration or action on the results is not designed, intended, or used for and does not have the effect of unlawful discrimination.
Champaign Ch. 17 § 17-36 prohibits employers from taking adverse employment actions—such as refusing to hire, segregating, or discharging workers—on the basis of characteristics protected under the city's human rights ordinance. The provision also bars employers from asking on written job applications whether an applicant has ever been arrested, though questions about job-related convictions are still permitted. Additionally, the section makes sexual harassment unlawful, holding employers accountable when they learn of harassing conduct by non-employees or non-supervisory staff and fail to take reasonable corrective steps.
Plain English — not legal advice.
While § 17-36 is directed at employers broadly, property management companies and landlords who employ staff must ensure their hiring and employment practices comply with Champaign Ch. 17's anti-discrimination requirements. Compliant operators generally remove arrest-history questions from written job applications, retain conviction inquiries only when they are demonstrably job-related, and establish clear procedures for responding to reports of workplace sexual harassment. Maintaining documented corrective-action policies is consistent with the employer-responsibility standard outlined in § 17-36(a)(iii).
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Although § 17-36 primarily governs employment rather than tenancy, tenants who also work for a landlord or property management company—or who experience discriminatory treatment in an employment context covered by this provision—may have protections under Champaign Ch. 17. Individuals who believe an employer has violated § 17-36 can explore filing a complaint with the Champaign Human Relations Commission or consulting a tenant- or worker-rights organization familiar with local ordinance enforcement. Understanding the scope of § 17-36, including its arrest-inquiry and sexual-harassment provisions, can help workers recognize when a potential violation has occurred.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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