[Code 1974, Ch. 113A; amended 7-23-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-05; 11-7-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-07]
(a) 
It is the intent of the Township that no person be denied equal protection of the laws; nor shall any person be denied the enjoyment of his or her civil or political rights or be discriminated against or harassed because of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, height, weight, condition of pregnancy, marital status, physical or mental limitation, disability, source of income, familial status, educational association, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or HIV status.
(b) 
Nothing herein contained shall be construed to prohibit any affirmative action laws passed by any level of government.
[Code 1974, Ch. 113A; amended 7-23-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-05; 11-7-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-07]
The following words, terms, and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
AGE
Chronological age.
CONTRACTOR
A person who by contract furnishes services, materials or supplies. "Contractor" does not include persons who are merely creditors or debtors of the Township, such as those holding the Township's notes or bonds or persons whose notes, bonds or stock is held by the Township.
DISABILITY
The term as defined in § 103(d) of the Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act, Public Act No. 220 of 1976 [MCL § 37.1103(d)].
DISCRIMINATE
To make a decision, offer to make a decision or refrain from making a decision based in whole or in part on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, height, weight, condition of pregnancy, marital status, physical or mental limitation, disability, source of income, familial status, educational association, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or HIV status of another person. Discrimination based on actual or perceived physical or mental limitation includes discrimination because of the use by an individual of adaptive devices or aids.
EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION
The fact of being enrolled or not enrolled at any educational institution.
EMPLOYER
A person who has one or more employees, and includes any agent of that person.
EMPLOYMENT AGENCY
A person regularly undertaking, with or without compensation, to procure, refer, recruit, or place an employee for an employer, or to procure, refer, recruit, or place for an employer or person the opportunity to work for an employer, and includes any agent of that person.
FAMILIAL STATUS
One or more individuals under the age of 18 residing with a parent or other person having custody or in the process of securing legal custody of the individual or individuals or residing with the designee of the parent or other person having or securing custody, with the written permission of the parent or other person. "Parent" includes a person who is pregnant.
GENDER IDENTITY OR EXPRESSION
A person's actual or perceived gender, including a person's gender identity, self-image, appearance, expression, or behavior, whether or not that gender identity, self-image, expression, or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person's gender at birth as being either female or male.
HIV STATUS
The state or condition of being diagnosed as having been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, whether or not having been diagnosed as having acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome related complex.
HOUSING FACILITY
Improved or unimproved real property, or a part thereof, that is used or occupied, or is intended, arranged, or designed to be used or occupied, as the home or residence of one or more persons, including, but not limited to, a house, apartment, rooming house, housing cooperative, hotel, motel, tourist home, retirement home or nursing home.
IMMEDIATE FAMILY
A spouse, parent, child, or sibling.
LABOR ORGANIZATION
An organization of any kind, an agency or employee representation committee group, association, or plan in which employees participate and that exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employees concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rate of pay, hours, or other terms or conditions of employment.
MARITAL STATUS
Being single, divorced, widowed, separated or married, and the conditions associated therewith, including pregnancy and parenthood.
MENTAL LIMITATION
A limitation of mental capabilities unrelated to one's ability to safely perform the work involved in jobs or positions available to such person for hire or promotion; a limitation of mental capabilities unrelated to one's ability to acquire, rent and maintain property; or a limitation of mental capabilities unrelated to one's ability to utilize and benefit from the goods, services, activities, privileges and accommodations of a place of public accommodation. "Mental limitation" includes, but is not limited to, developmental disabilities, psychological, etc. "Mental limitation" does not include any condition caused by the current illegal use of a controlled substance.
MINORITY
A person who is Black or African American, Native American or Alaskan native, Hispanic or Latino, Asian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.
NATIONAL ORIGIN
The national origin of a person, and includes the national origin of an ancestor, and shall include persons who are not naturalized citizens.
PERCEIVED
To regard or attain awareness or understanding of something through one's perception or senses. As used in this chapter, the word refers to the perception of the person who acts, and not to the perception of the person for or against whom the action is taken.
PHYSICAL LIMITATION
A limitation of physical capabilities unrelated to one's ability to safely perform the work involved in jobs or positions available to such person for hire or promotion; a limitation of physical capabilities unrelated to one's ability to acquire, rent and maintain property; or a limitation of physical capabilities unrelated to one's ability to utilize and benefit from the goods, services, activities, privileges and accommodations of a place of public accommodation. "Physical limitation" includes, but is not limited to, blindness or partial sightedness, deafness or hearing impairment, muteness, partial or total absence of physical member, speech impairment and motor impairment. "Physical limitation" does not include any condition caused by the current illegal use of a controlled substance.
PLACE OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION
An educational, governmental, health, day-care, entertainment, cultural, recreational, refreshment, transportation, financial institution, accommodation, business or other facility of any kind, whose goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages or accommodations are extended, offered, sold or otherwise made available to the public, or which receives financial support through the solicitation of the general public or through governmental subsidy of any kind.
REAL ESTATE BROKER OR SALESMAN
A person, whether licensed or not, who, for or with the expectation of receiving a consideration, lists, sells, purchases, exchanges, rents, or leases real property; who negotiates or attempts to negotiate any of those activities; who holds himself out as engaged in those activities; who negotiates or attempts to negotiate a loan secured or to be secured by a mortgage or other encumbrance upon real property; who is engaged in the business of listing real property in a publication; or a person employed by or acting on behalf of a real estate broker or salesman.
REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION
The sale, exchange, rental, or lease of real property, or an interest therein.
REAL PROPERTY
Includes a building, structure, mobile home, real estate, land, mobile home park, trailer park, tenement, leasehold, or an interest in a real estate cooperative or condominium.
SEX
Includes, but is not limited to, pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth. Discrimination because of sex includes harassment, which means unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct or communication of a sexual nature when:
(1) 
Submission to such conduct or communication is made a term or condition either explicitly or implicitly to obtain employment, public accommodations or housing.
(2) 
Submission to or rejection of such conduct or communication by an individual is used as a factor in decisions affecting such individual's employment, public accommodations or housing.
(3) 
Such conduct or communication has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual's employment, public accommodations or housing or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive employment, public accommodation or housing environment.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION
Being or regarded as being homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual, or having a history of such identification.
SOURCE OF INCOME
Any legal source from which a person obtains money.
TO HARASS
To have physical conduct or communication that refers to an individual protected under this chapter, when such conduct or communication demeans or dehumanizes and has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual's employment, public accommodations or housing, or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive employment, public accommodations or housing environment.
[Code 1974, Ch. 113A; amended 7-23-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-05; 11-7-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-07]
Notwithstanding anything contained in this chapter, the following practices shall not be violations of this chapter:
(a) 
For a religious organization or institution to restrict any of its facilities of housing or accommodations that are operated as a direct part of religious activities to persons of the denomination involved or to restrict employment opportunities for officers, religious instructors and clergy to persons of that denomination.
(b) 
For the owner of an owner-occupied one-family or two-family dwelling, or a housing facility or public accommodation facility, respectively, devoted entirely to the housing and accommodation of individuals of one gender, to restrict occupancy and use of the opposite gender.
(c) 
To limit occupancy in a housing project or to provide public accommodations or employment privileges or assistance to persons of low income, over 50 years of age or who are handicapped.
(d) 
To engage in a bona fide effort to establish an affirmative action program to improve opportunities in employment for minorities and women.
(e) 
To discriminate based on a person's age when such discrimination is required by state, federal or local law.
(f) 
To refuse to enter into a contract with a minor who is not emancipated.
(g) 
To refuse to admit a person under the legal age for purchasing alcoholic beverages to a place of public accommodation serving alcoholic beverages.
(h) 
To refuse to admit persons under 18 years of age to a business providing entertainment or selling literature that the operator of said business deems unsuitable for minors.
(i) 
For an educational institution to limit the use of its facilities to those affiliated with such institution.
(j) 
To provide discounts on products or services to students, minors and senior citizens or members of an organization.
(k) 
To discriminate in any arrangement for the sharing of a dwelling unit.
(l) 
To restrict use of lavatories and locker room facilities on the basis of gender.
(m) 
For a governmental institution to restrict any of its facilities or to restrict employment opportunities based on duly adopted institutional policies that conform to federal and state laws and regulations.
(n) 
To restrict participation in an instructional program, athletic event or on an athletic team on the basis of age or gender.