Republican Governor Eric Greitens tells Missourinet he has not decided if he will sign legislation that would make it tougher for an employee to win a workplace discrimination lawsuit. The state legislature passed the measure during this year’s regular session that would require employees to prove that race, religion, sex or other protected status was the motivating factor for discrimination or being fired.
Currently, the person’s status has to be a contributing factor.
“We are still doing the bill review on that,” says Greitens.
Under the bill, it would stop workers from suing their colleagues and limit damages that could be awarded in such lawsuits. The legislation also only allows for the employing company to be sued, not individuals.
Bill supporters say it would be a business friendly move by reducing what they consider to be an excessive number of such frivolous lawsuits.
Opponents of the proposal say it’s discriminatory, would make it easier for discrimination to occur in the workplace and would gut whistleblower protections currently in place. Several Democrats in the legislature have delivered individual letters to Greitens asking him to not sign the bill.
