Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Human Rights Division records, 1974-1987

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Montana. Department of Labor and Industry. Human Rights Division
Title
Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Human Rights Division records
Dates
1974-1987 (inclusive)
Quantity
2.75 linear ft
Collection Number
RS 498 (Formerly RS 126)
Summary
This collection is a sub-subgroup (Bureau) of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry records, RS 498. The Human Rights Bureau (formerly Human Rights Division) operates within Employment Standards Division of DLI. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Department of Labor and Industry records. These records of the Human Rights Bureau consist of interoffice and general correspondence, minor financial, hearing, and legal files, minutes of the Human Rights Commission, minutes of the Executive Committee [RESTRICTED], minutes of the Interdepartmental Coordination Committee for Women, organizational materials, reports, subject files and legal research files on various discrimination issues, miscellany, and clippings.
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions

Collection open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Montana Human Rights Division (now Human Rights Bureau) of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry is the administrative arm of the Montana Human Rights Commission. The Commission was created in 1974 as part of legislation designed to "prevent discrimination in employment, public accommodations, education, and real property transactions." The five Commission members were appointed by the governor. Complaints of discrimination were made to the Department of Labor and Industry which then notified the Commission. The Commission was scheduled to meet at least four times each year to hear complaints filed and take the required action. If the Commission upheld a complaint, it could order the person accused of discriminatory conduct to refrain from such conduct. If this failed, the Department of Labor and Industry could then petition the district court to enforce the Commission's order by injunction. The Division staff conducted investigations of individual cases brought before the Commission, and did legal research into types of discrimination, current case law, and policies in other jurisdictions.

As of 2024, the Human Rights Division is now the Human Rights Bureau and operates within the Employment Standards Division of DLI. The Human Rights Commission continues to provide an independent opinion on the work of the Human Rights Bureau.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Records consist of interoffice and general correspondence (1974-1987); minor financial, hearing, and legal files; minutes of the Commission (1974-1986); minutes of the Executive Committee (RESTRICTED); minutes of the Interdepartmental Coordinating Committee for Women (1977); organizational materials, including organizational charts, work plans, bylaws, etc.; reports (1977-1980); subject files and legal research files (1974-1986) on various discrimination issues; miscellany; and clippings.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society. The Library & Archives does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Library & Archives, Helena, Montana.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by series.

Location of Collection

28:4-4

Processing Note

In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 498, in order to help facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives catalog, and to follow best archival practices.

Collections from Montana Department of Labor and Industry's various Divisions and Bureaus that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 498. Rather than reprocessing over 20 linear feet of DLI materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those collections/finding aids and provide access to them via links in the primary finding aid. This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over the collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding aids at manageable sizes. Please read the scope and content note carefully to determine if this subgroup/sub-subgroup pertains to your research needs.

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information is available upon request.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection

Interoffice Correspondence Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 1-5
Miscellaneous (correspondents include Elsie McGarvey, Kathe McGehee, Sidney Smith, Eleanor Parker, Raymond D. Brown, John Albrecht, Rosemay B. Zion, John Frankino, Anne L. MacIntyre, Ken Toole, Janice Frankino Doggett)
1974-1987

General Correspondence Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 6
Sen. John Melcher (re age discrimination)
1987
1 / 7
Montana Attorney General
1976-1981
1 / 8-10
Montana Department of Labor and Industry
1976-1987
1 / 11
Montana Legislative Assembly
1974-1982
1 / 12
National Association of Human Rights Workers
1984, 1987
1 / 13
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
1986-1987
1 / 14-31
Chronological file (correspondents include wide variety of organizations, government agencies and individuals concerning problems of age, sex, age, race, handicapped, religion, and other discrimination, problems with compliance, investigations, etc.)
1974-1987

Financial Records Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2 / 1
Proposed budgets
1979

Hearings Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2 / 2
Proposed adoption of a rule regarding adoption of EEOC affirmative action guidelines
1980
2 / 3
Drafts and working papers for several cases before Commission
1977-1983

Legal Documents Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2 / 4
Agreements with U.S. Office of Revenue Sharing and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
undated

Minutes Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2 / 5
Executive minutes (RESTRICTED: contains sensitive personnel information etc.)
1976-1983
2 / 6-10
Minutes, agendas, meeting announcements, etc.
1974-1986
2 / 11
Minutes: Interdepartmental Coordinating Committee for Women
1977

Organization Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2 / 12
Administrative rules
1987
2 / 13
Organizational charts, fact sheets, etc.
1975-1979
2 / 14
Proposed bylaws
undated
2 / 15
Work plans
1978, 1986-1987

Reports Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2 / 16
Quarterly reports
1977-1979
2 / 17
Reports to Legislative Finance Committee
1977-1980

Subject Files (includes Legal Research) Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
2 / 18
Age discrimination
1976-1982
2 / 19-20
Business rights
1976-1986
2 / 21
Class and systematic discrimination
1976
2 / 22
Constructive discharge
1980
2 / 23
Discovery of agency materials
1978-1981
2 / 24
Equal pay
1979-1981
2 / 25
Richard Fanestil complaint
1978
2 / 26-27
Handicapped
1980-1982
2 / 28
Handicapped public accommodations (briefs in several out-of-state cases)
1976
2 / 29
Housing discrimination
1981-1982
2 / 30
Independent right of action
1979-1981
2 / 31
Insurance (mostly re maternity coverage and uni-sex auto insurance)
1985-1986
2 / 32
Letters of appreciation
1981-1982
2 / 33
Management by objectives
1979-1980
2 / 34
Maternity leave
1977-1980
2 / 35
Political belief discrimination
1981
3 / 1
Pregnancy
1979-1981
3 / 2
Procedural questions and administrative law
1980
3 / 3
Proposed Affirmative Action rules
1980
3 / 4
Religious discrimination
1980
3 / 5
Remedies (includes attorney fees)
1978-1980
3 / 6
Res judicata
undated
3 / 7
Retaliation
1979
3 / 8
Retroactivity
undated
3 / 9
Sexual harassment
1981
3 / 10
Statutes of limitation
1980-1981
3 / 11
Sunset legislation: proposed issue brief and final review
1980
3 / 12
Veterans
undated

Miscellany Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
3 / 13
Affirmative Action Guideline Revision Committee presentation
1980
3 / 14
Board of Crime Control and State Library bylaws (sent for EEO evaluation?)
1972, 1975
3 / 15
Case list against state agencies
undated
3 / 16
Case log
1975-1986
3 / 17-19
Case reports (lists of cases closed, withdrawn, conciliated, and open)
1977-1986
3 / 20
Civil rights bibliography: State Law Library
1982
3 / 21
Flathead Industries for the Handicapped affirmative action plan and report
1979-1980
3 / 22
Form letters and form legal documents
undated
4 / 1
"Guidelines issued by state anti-discrimination agencies"
1976
4 / 2
Helena Chamber of Commerce Wage Distortion Committee
1979
4 / 3
Human rights guides
circa 1977
4 / 4
Indian education statistics
1974
4 / 5
Indian Resource Information Coalition minutes
1976
4 / 6
Department of Labor and Industry annual report
1978
4 / 7
Legislative history of Human Rights Act
1973-1975
4 / 8
Montana Public Employment Relations Services Review and Evaluation Team report
1981
4 / 9
Miscellaneous (labelled "Commission meeting" but is not)
1984
4 / 10
Miscellaneous (includes Governor's proclamations; "Startling Statements"; annual EEO Conference program, 1986)
1984-1986

Clippings Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
4 / 11
Miscellaneous (includes employment statistics for Indians; Human Rights Commission budget; sexual harassment)
1978-1984

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Age discrimination--Montana
  • Civil rights--Montana
  • Discrimination--Montana
  • Human rights--Montana
  • People with disabilities--Legal status, laws, etc.--Montana
  • Women--Legal status, laws, etc.