News Notes: New Disability Bias Law Is Not Retroactive

Changes to California’s disability bias laws, which took effect Jan. 1, 2001, broadened the class of disabled persons to include those with conditions that make a major life activity “difficult.” This new definition of a disability is a more lenient standard than the “substantial limitation” of a major life activity that was previously required under the former state (and current federal) disability bias rules. Now a California Court of Appeal has held that the expanded coverage of the new law requires adequate notice to employers, and thus the law can’t be applied retroactively to cases that were filed before Jan. 1, 2001, the law’s effective date.