STAT E O F FLORID A COMMISSIO N O N HUMA N RELATION S MARI E LOUIS E HENRY . EEO C Cas e No . 15D20150057 6 Petitioner . FCH R Cas e No . 2015-0114 6 v . DOA H Cas e No . 16-098 1 TH E FLORID A BAR , FCH R Orde r No . 16-03 6 Respondent . / ORDE R REMANDIN G COMPLAIN T O F DISCRIMINATIO N T O COMMISSION' S OFFIC E O F EMPLOYMEN T INVESTIGATION S FO R INVESTIGATIO N Thi s Commissio e th e n s i r matte befor r fo consideratio n o f th e Orde r Closin g Fil e an d Relinquishin g Jurisdiction , date d Apri l , , 1 2016 issue b d i n th e above-style d matte r y Administrativ e La w Judg e Linzi e F . Bogan . Preliminar y Matter s Petitione r Mari e Louis e Henr y file d t a complain o f discriminatio n pursuan t t o th e Florid a Civi l Right s Ac t o f 1992 , 760.0 s 1 Section 760.11 , Florid a Statute s (2014) , allegin g tha t Responden t Th e Florid a Ba r committe d a n unlawfu l employmen t practic e o n th e base s o f Petitioner' s rac e (Black) se , x (female) , ag e (DOB : 1 1 -20-59) , an d disability , an d o n th e basi s o f , retaliation b y suspendin g Petitioner' s licens e t o practic e law . Th e allegation s se t fort h i wer n th t e complain e and , , o n investigated Januar y 13 , 2016 , e e Executiv d th r issue a Directo "Determination : N o Jurisdiction, " finding tha t Sectio n 760.10(5) , Florid a Statutes , r di appl d no o t Petitione y t becaus e ha Petitione r d alread y an w la e practic o d e licens a d obtaine t e ther o n s wa apparen t othe r basi s fo r jurisdictio n t o res t wit h th e Commission . Petitione r filed a Petitio n fo r Relie f m fro a n Unlawfu l Employmen t Practice , an d th e cas e wa s transmitte d t o th e n Divisio f o Administrativ e Hearing s fo r th e conduc t o f a forma l proceeding . Th e matte r wa s assigne d o e t Administrativ La w Judg e Linzi e F . Bogan . Judg e r Boga n issue d a Closin Orde n Fil e an d Relinquishin g g Jurisdiction , date d Apri l 1 , 2016 , indicatin g tha t ther e o wa existenc n f o e s a disput e f o materia l a t fac s t o matter s r relate t o whethe d th e ha Commissio s n jurisdictio n Petitioner' claim t o conside r s s o f unlawfu l discrimination . FCH R Orde r No . 16-03 6 Pag e 2 Th e Commissio n pane l designate d w belo d recor e d considere th o f thi s an matte r d determine d e th e n t o actio n n th e Orde r take o b Closin g Fil e an d Relinquishin g Jurisdiction . Finding s o f Fac t an d Conclusion s o f La w Th e Orde r Closin g Fil e d an g Relinquishin Jurisdictio n states , "I n determinatio th e n notice , th e onl y referenc e mad e b y FCH R o y an t factua l issu e th i s e statemen t tha t '[i] t i s undispute d tha t Responden t discipline d , Complainant n i license he r capacit y a s a d attorney , b y suspendin g he r licens e . . . d [an tha t ther e i s no ] apparen t basi s fo r jurisdictio n t o res t withi n FCHR.' " r e Orde Th Closin g Fil e an d Relinquishin g Jurisdictio n als o states , "Petitione r make s myria lega d l argument s i n he r Petitio n fo r Relief . Non e o f however , , e th arguments t sugges th e existenc e o f a disput e o f materia l fac t s s t o matter a relate d t o whethe r FCH R ha jurisdictio s n claim t o conside r Petitioner' s s o f unlawfu l discrimination . Thi s determinatio n s i bolstere d i assertio Petitioner' s b n y n he r Petitio n fo r Relie f n wherei sh e state s tha t sh e i s 'entitle d t o jurisdictio n a s a matte r o f law.' " Art . V , § 15 , Fla . Const. , states "Attorneys , ; admissio n an d discipline.-Th e suprem e cour t shal l hav e exclusiv e jurisdictio n t o regulat e th e admissio n o f person s t o th e practic e o f la w an d th e disciplin e o f person s admitted. " Th e Florid a Civi l Right s Ac t o f 199 2 states "Whenever , , i n orde r t o engag e i n a profession , i occupation , o trade , r t i d s tha t require a , license a perso receiv n e certification , o r othe r credential , becom e a membe o r n r a associat e o f y an club , othe association , o r r organization , o r pas s an y examination , i t n a i s unlawfu l employmen t practic e fo r an y person t o discriminat e agains t an y othe r perso n seekin g suc h license , certification , o r othe r credential , seekin g t o becom e a r o membe r associat e o f suc h club , o associatio n r othe r organization , o e tak o r g seekin r o t s pas suc h , examination becaus e o f suc h othe r person' s race , color , religion , sex , nationa l origin , age , handicap , o r marita l statu s [emphasi s added]. " Sectio n 760.10(5) , Florid a Statute (2014 s ) wa not e tha t pregnanc y s adde d a s a protecte d s basi i n th e 201 5 Statutes . Th e Florid a Civi l Right s Ac t f o 2 199 "'Person define s "person " b y stating , ' include s a n individual , association , , corporation join t apprenticeshi p committee , joint stoc k company , labo r union , lega l representative , mutua l company , partnership , receiver , trust , truste e i n bankruptcy , unincorporate o r d organization ; an y othe r lega l o r commercia l entity ; th e state ; r y an o governmental entity [emphasi added]. o r agenc y s " Sectio n 760.02(6) , Florid a Statute s (2014) . Whil e th e Commission' s determinatio n notic suggest e s tha t Sectio n 760.10(5) , Florid a Statutes , doe s thi o t s appl t no y e cas becaus e g a seekin t no r i Petitione license s , seekin g t o becom e a r Ba seekin r member , o g r t o tak e o pas s a n examination , Petitioner' s Petitio n fo r Relie f point s ou t ". . .th e suspensio n o f m y d licens e place th e Ba r i n [the ] capacit y o f decidin g if ! regai n m y license. " FCH R Orde r No . 16-03 6 Pag e 3 W e conclud e tha t Responden t "governmenta i s l a entity " subjec t t o th e Florid a Civi l Right s Ac t o f 1992 , d therefor an t e subjec t o th e n jurisdictio o f th e Commission , an d tha t th e provision s cite d abov e t prohibi t Responden fro m disciplinin g th e licens e o f a n attorne y i n a discriminator y e g th . manner Regardin e issu o f whethe r Responden t s i a "governmenta l entity" , se e Maso n . v Fla . Bar , 2 20 8 d 95 F.3 (11 t h Cir . 2000) , i n whic h th e Cour t refer s t o Th e Florid a s Bar' regulatio n o f commercia l speec h i n t th e contex o f lawye r advertisin g a s "stat e restrictions interests... an " d a s "th e government' s " Exception s Petitione r sen t e Executiv Commission' e s r lette a th Director , th receive d b y e Commissio n o n Apri l 7 , . 2016 e i "exception Commissio s treatin n th a lette r Th s a n e g " t o th e Administrativ e La w Judge' s Orde Closin r g Fil e an d Relinquishin g Jurisdiction . Ther e i s n o indicatio n t o n th e lette r wa t i s provide d t o tha Responden t i a s s require d b y Fla . Admin . R . Cod e ) 28-106.104(4 an d Fla . Admin . Cod e R . 28-106.110 . However , th th e Commissio publishe n t documen o th e e t d Respondent , place th an d d e documen t i n th e recor d o f thi s cas e throug h e th issuanc e o f a notic e o f e x part e communication , maile d t o th e partie s o n l Apri 18 , 2016 . Th e notic e o f e x part e communicatio n als o informe d th tha e partie s e t lette r th woul d a a b e treate d s n "exceptions " document . Generally , th e lette r except s s t o th conclusio Commission' n tha t i t e di d no t hav e jurisdictio n t o investigat e th e complain t o f discrimination . Fo r reason s se t ou t i n th e Finding s f o s Conclusion d Fac t an f o La w sectio n o f thi s Order , th e Commissio n wil l no w assum jurisdictio e n allegation o t o investigat e th e s f discriminatio n t e th complain i d containe n file d i n matter thi s . Reman d Th e complain t o f discriminatio n i s y hereb REMANDE D Commission' t o th e s Offic e o f Employmen t Investigation s fo r r farthe investigatio n o f th e allegation s o f discriminatio n containe d therein . Accord , , generally s Propertie . DeLe o v o f th e Villages , Inc. , FCH R Orde r No . 09-09 3 (Octobe r 1 , 2009) . DON E AN D ORDERE D thi s g?Jda y o f KduHjJ 2016 . FO R TH E FLORID A COMMISSIO N O N HUMA N RELATIONS : Commissione r Rebecc a Steele , Pane l Chairperson ; Commissione r Ton y Jenkins ; an d Commissione r Ja y Pichar d FCH R Orde r No . 16-03 6 Pag e 4 File d thi s ^Jda y o f \\Ju ^ , 2016 , i n Tallahassee , Florid a ^ Cler k Commissio n o n Huma n Relation s 407 5 Esplanad e Way , Roo m 11 0 Tallahassee , F L 3239 9 (850)488-708 2 Copie s furnishe d to : Mari e Louis e Henr y Pos t Offic e Bo x 95352 1 Lak e Mary , F L 32795-352 1 Th e Florid a Ba r c/ o Kevi n D . Johnson , Esq . c/ o Bridge t McNamee , Esq . Thompson , Sizemore , Gonzale z & Hearing , P.A . 20 1 N . Frankli n Street , Ste . 160 0 Tampa , F L 3360 2 Linzi e F . Bogan , Administrativ e La w Judge , DOA H Jame s Mallue , Lega l Adviso r fo r Commissio n Pane l I HEREB Y CERTIF Y tha t a copy'o T th e foregoin ha g s bee n maile d t o th e abov e liste d addressee s thi s J? Cler k o f th e Commissio n Florid a Commissio n o n Huma n Relation s

Docket for Case No: 16-000981

Orders for Case No: 16-000981