Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act adds which protected class(es) beyond federal law?
Correct Answer
B) Age, marital status, and height/weight
Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act adds protections for age, marital status, and height/weight beyond federal fair housing protections.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Answer B is correct because Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act explicitly adds age, marital status, and height/weight as protected classes beyond federal fair housing protections. These additional protections mean Michigan real estate professionals cannot discriminate against individuals based on these characteristics.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: Age only
A is incorrect because while age is indeed an additional protected class under Michigan law, it's not the only one. Michigan law also protects marital status and height/weight, making option B more comprehensive and accurate.
Option C: Source of income only
C is incorrect because source of income is not explicitly listed as an additional protected class under Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. While some states have added source of income to their fair housing protections, Michigan has not done so.
Option D: No additional protections
D is incorrect because Michigan has indeed added protected classes beyond federal law through the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, specifically age, marital status, and height/weight. Michigan law provides more protections than the federal baseline.
Deep Analysis of This Practice Of Real Estate Question
This question tests knowledge of state-specific fair housing protections beyond federal requirements. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for real estate professionals who must comply with both federal and state laws. The question specifically focuses on Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, which expands protected classes beyond what federal law mandates. Federal fair housing law (Fair Housing Act of 1968) protects against discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin. However, many states have enacted additional protections. In this case, Michigan has added three protected classes: age, marital status, and height/weight. This means that while an agent might legally discriminate based on these factors in some states, doing so in Michigan would violate state law and potentially lead to significant legal consequences, including fines and loss of license.
Background Knowledge for Practice Of Real Estate
The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act is Michigan's equivalent of the federal Fair Housing Act, but with expanded protections. Enacted in 1976, it prohibits discrimination in employment, education, housing, and public accommodations based on the same classes as federal law plus age, marital status, and height/weight. These additional protections reflect Michigan's commitment to broader civil rights. While federal law sets a minimum standard that states cannot fall below, states are free to enact stronger protections. This creates a patchwork of fair housing laws across the country, making it essential for real estate professionals to understand both federal and state-specific requirements in their practice areas.
Memory Technique
acronymAMH - Age, Marital status, Height/weight
Remember Michigan's additional protected classes by thinking of 'AMH' as the initials for Age, Marital status, and Height/weight protections beyond federal law.
Exam Tip for Practice Of Real Estate
When questions ask about state-specific fair housing laws, remember that states can add protected classes beyond federal requirements but cannot remove them. Focus on memorizing which states have notable additional protections.
Real World Application in Practice Of Real Estate
Sarah, a real estate agent in Michigan, shows properties to a divorced client with two young children. The seller mentions they prefer child-free buyers. Sarah must explain that while familial status discrimination is prohibited under federal law, she cannot also refuse to show the property based on the client's marital status, which is protected under Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. If Sarah were to discourage the client based on their marital status, she would be violating both federal and Michigan state law, potentially facing legal action and disciplinary action from her brokerage.
Common Mistakes to Avoid on Practice Of Real Estate Questions
- •Assuming that federal fair housing protections are the same in all states, leading to missing additional state-specific protected classes
- •Confusing Michigan's protections with those of other states that may have different additional protected classes
- •Overlooking the inclusion of height/weight as a protected characteristic, which is less common among state fair housing laws
Related Topics & Key Terms
Related Topics:
Key Terms:
Related Concepts
Many states and localities have fair housing laws that expand upon the protections offered by the federal Fair Housing Act.
Fair housing laws apply to a broad range of activities related to housing, including sale, rental, financing, and advertising.
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