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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1989)
Just news Terry A. Kincaid Sales Associate (503) 287-8989 Let a Pro do the work lor you. Call for a competitive market analysis. AIDS-related discrimination becoming routine ‘ 7 — don't think the law has done much to stop discrimination . ' ' Julia Hale-Harbaugh , US Office for Civil Rights Discrimination Awareness Week, sponsored by the Metropolitan Human Relations young man vacationing at the coast Commission, Roberts said that her agency severely injures his ankle and is denied has received fewer than 20 complaints this medical treatment when the doctor sees his year about AIDS- or HIV-related address — in an urban neighborhood well discrimination. But she said such incidents are known as a “ gay area.“ The man is not gay. underreported because people may fear further and he does not have AIDS, yet he must travel discrimination if they complain. 2(X) miles back home and wait 12 hours to get “ The mot frustrating thing I hear is when his injury treated someone says. Yeah. I lost my job but I don't A Seattle-area nursing home refuses to want to file a complaint because it's too much admit a patient diagnosed with AIDS, saying of a hassle,' “ said Hale-Harbaugh. “ A sa that if other residents and their families found handicapped person. I've experienced out. it would present “ a public relations night discrimination all my life. When I don't mare.” complain. 1 allow that to continue to happen.“ A man talks excitedly to his colleagues Hale-Harbaugh said the most common type of discrimination against people with AIDS or about an AIDS education forum he recently attended. Several days later, he is fired; his HI V-infection are the most blatant — firing, eviction or denial of services. Some hospitals, boss assumes that if the man wants to learn for instance, routinely transfer people with about AIDS, he must have the disease. AIDS to large municipal hospitals, effectively These instances have two things in “ dumping” patients they don't want to serve. common. They happened. And they are il But other complaints detail more subtle legal moves to isolate or dif ferentiate people Federal and Oregon laws protecting persons with AIDS. For example, some hospitals with handicaps from discrimination in post special signs on the doors of AIDS housing, employment and public patients. “ We see unnecessary labelling accommodations apply to people infected with and segregation of patients,” Hale-Harbaugh HIV. people with AIDS and people perceived said “ It hurts people You can't believe how to have AIDS or HIV - infection. much it hurts them.” The law , specifically section 504 of the In addition, she said, fear of AIDS has federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. says that rekindled longtime prejudices against sexual, programs receiving federal moneys — racial and ethnic minorities, and AIDS-related including hospitals, nursing homes, adoption discrimination may fall most heavily on agencies, day care centers, and senior citizen members of these groups. meal programs — cannot discriminate against Private insurance companies in Oregon people wilth handicaps, including HIV- have a wider license to discriminate than infection and AIDS Oregon civil rights laws public employers or facilities. An insurance provide similar protections company may deny coverage to people with Bui ihe laws alone don t stop AIDS, and companies are permitted to ask discrimination A representative from the applicants whether they have tested HIV federal Office for Civil Rights visiting positive or have been diagnosed with AIDS Portland ¡ast month as part of AIDS They cannot, however, ask if you have taken Discrimination Awareness Week, said her an HIV-antibody test or require that you take regional branch of OCR, located in Seattle, one based on your lifestyle or sexual has investigated 100 complaints of AIDS- orientation. (In other words, they can’t just related discrimination since 19Kb assume you have AIDS or arc at risk of “ I don i think the law has done much to contracting it ) stop discrimination.” said Julia Hale- W'hen individuals complain to the federal Harbaugh from the Region X Office for Civil Office for Civil Rights, they receive a packet Rights, which serves Washington Oregon of forms to help them detail the complaint in Idaho and Alaska “ Every day we get letters writing Within 15 days, the agency begins its and phone calls from people who've lost investigation by reviewing written records and their jobs or their houses or been denied interviewing the people involved. Normally, services bee ause they have AIDS or someone the office has 1K5 days to process a thinks they have AIDS complaint, but that limit is shortened to 90 “ Most of this is borne out of ignorance and days when the person complaining has a life fear — an unwillingness to accept what the threatening illness. experts are telling us about this disease and If the OCR finds that discrimination how difficult it is to transmit.” occurred they attempt to negotiate with the Hale-Harbaugh said that discrimination body that violated the statutes — for instance, against persons perceived to have AIDS is as by reinstating a fired employee or awarding prevalent as discrimination against those who her'him ha*.k pay and benefits actually have the disease Gay men We really bend over backwards to get minorities people who take care of AIDS voluntary compliance.” Hale Harbaugh said patients or who have gay friends may he ‘ There are no punitive damages we can targeted for unfair treatment as well, she said impose The ultimate penalty is to have your “ The AIDS epidemic affects every body federal financial assistance terminated ” civil rights.” Hale-Harbaugh said Hale-Harbaugh believes individuals must In Oregon, the state Bureau of Labor and learn their rights regarding AIDS-related Industries handles civil rights complaints discrimination and insist that employers, based on AIDS status. Labor Commissioner medical providers and others follow the sta Mary Wendy Roberts recently said it is illegal tutes. for dentists to refuse treatment or to charge “ All the communities have to take additional fees to HIV-positive patients Any responsibility for bringing it out into the light employer w ith more than six employees is and saying. ‘We're not going to put up with it covered by the handicapped statute banning anymore ' ” 'he said. “ Nobody's an island on discrimination this o n e " ^ At a news conference launching AIDS BY A N N D E E H O C H M A N Professionals 100, Inc., Realtors WHEEL ALIGNMENT TIRES A & pain t 2454 E. Burnside 232-3600 FAMIIY O W N FD SINCF 1952 O ur T ime I s FREE I f W e D o n t W in Y our P ersonal I njury C ase □ Don’t settle for less than you deserve. □ Confident and Experienced. DIXON & FRIEDMAN 1020 SW Taylor Suite 430 2 4 2 - 1 4 4 0 A kinder, gentler salon 1323 NE Broadway gw LUCXEY 281-7831 288-7831 ▼ <? ▼ l u n e IOXO