Employment Discrimination Demand Letter - Rhode Island
EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION DEMAND LETTER
Rhode Island Law
Rhode Island Fair Employment Practices Act, R.I.G.L. Section 28-5-1 et seq.
[ATTORNEY/FIRM LETTERHEAD]
[Firm Name]
[Address Line 1]
[City, Rhode Island ZIP]
Tel: [Phone Number]
Fax: [Fax Number]
[Attorney Email]
[Rhode Island Bar No.]
VIA CERTIFIED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
AND VIA EMAIL TO: [recipient_email]
[Date]
[Employer Contact Name]
[Title]
[Company Legal Name]
[Company Address]
[City, State ZIP]
Re: Employment Discrimination Claim of [Client Full Name]
RICHR Complaint No.: [If filed]
EEOC Charge No.: [If filed]
FOR SETTLEMENT PURPOSES — R.I. R. EVID. 408 MAY LIMIT SPECIFIED USES OF DISPUTED-CLAIM NEGOTIATIONS
Dear [Mr./Ms./Mx. Last Name]:
This firm represents [Client Full Name] ("our client") regarding [his/her/their] claims of unlawful employment discrimination against [Company Legal Name] ("[Company Short Name]" or "the Company").
I. LEGAL FRAMEWORK
A. Rhode Island Fair Employment Practices Act (RIFEPA)
Rhode Island prohibits employment discrimination under R.I.G.L. Section 28-5-1 et seq.
Protected Classes Under RIFEPA:
- Race
- Color
- Religion
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
- Gender identity or expression
- Disability
- Age (40+)
- Country of ancestral origin
- Pregnancy and childbirth
B. Rhode Island Civil Rights Act (RICRA)
R.I.G.L. Section 42-112-1 et seq. provides additional protections and allows direct court filing.
C. Federal Anti-Discrimination Laws
| Statute | Protected Class | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Title VII | Race, color, religion, sex, national origin | 42 U.S.C. Section 2000e et seq. |
| ADEA | Age (40+) | 29 U.S.C. Section 621 et seq. |
| ADA | Disability | 42 U.S.C. Section 12101 et seq. |
D. Administrative Options
RIFEPA: A charge must satisfy the one-year timing in § 28-5-17(a). A state-court route following a charge is governed by § 28-5-24.1, including its right-to-sue conditions and 90-day filing period.
RICRA: Section 42-112-2 authorizes a civil action within three years for a violation of § 42-112-1. Its protected grounds and contract-rights scope differ from RIFEPA; confirm that this claim fits the statute.
II. FACTUAL BACKGROUND
[Client Full Name] was employed by [Company Short Name] from [Start Date] through [End Date / Present] as a [Job Title] in [City], Rhode Island.
III. LEGAL CLAIMS
A. Violation of RIFEPA
[Company Short Name] violated Rhode Island law by discriminating against our client based on [protected class].
Key Provisions:
- Applies to employers with 4+ employees
- Protected grounds listed in §§ 28-5-6 and 28-5-7; homelessness and domestic-violence-victim status are not listed there as general employment protected classes
- No caps on compensatory damages
IV. DAMAGES
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Back Pay | $[Amount] |
| Lost Benefits | $[Amount] |
| Compensatory Damages | $[Amount] |
| Exemplary Damages (only if a supported RICRA or other applicable claim permits them) | $[Amount] |
| Attorney's Fees | $[Amount] |
| TOTAL | $[Amount] |
V. SETTLEMENT DEMAND
We demand that [Company Short Name] pay $[Settlement Demand Amount] to resolve all claims.
VI. RESPONSE DEADLINE
Please respond within twenty-one (21) calendar days, no later than [Response Deadline Date].
Sincerely,
[Attorney Name]
[Title]
[Firm Name]
[Rhode Island Bar No.]
RHODE ISLAND-SPECIFIC PRACTICE NOTES (Do Not Include in Final Letter)
Key Rhode Island Considerations
☐ Two Statutes: RIFEPA (requires exhaustion) and RICRA (direct court filing)
☐ Protected Grounds: Confirm the alleged ground under § 28-5-7; do not import housing-only categories into an employment claim
☐ Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity: Protected under state law
☐ No Damage Caps: No statutory limits on damages
☐ Low Employee Threshold: Applies to employers with 4+ employees
Statute of Limitations Reference
| Claim | Deadline | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| RICHR (RIFEPA) | 1 year | R.I.G.L. Section 28-5-17 |
| RICRA Court Action | 3 years from the alleged violation | R.I.G.L. Section 42-112-2 |
| EEOC Title VII charge | 180-day baseline; 300-day route only when authorized state/local proceedings are initially instituted for the alleged practice (or 30 days after state/local termination notice, if earlier) | 42 U.S.C. Section 2000e-5(e)(1) |
About this template
- Last updated
- October 7, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- Rhode Island
- Category
- Demand Letters
A demand letter is a formal written request to fix a problem or pay what is owed, sent before anyone files a lawsuit. It gives the other side a real chance to settle, creates a record of your attempt to resolve things, and in many cases (unpaid debts, insurance claims, broken contracts) starts a legally required response window. A well-written demand letter lays out what happened, what you want, and a deadline to act, which is often enough to get results without ever going to court.
Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
The statutes this template relies on are listed under Legal authority.
R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 28-5-6(2), (9), 28-5-7(1) (checked October 7, 2026): "‘Because of sex’ or ‘on the basis of sex’ includes, but is not limited to, because of or on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions"
R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-5-17(a) (checked October 7, 2026): "have occurred, have terminated, or have been applied to affect adversely the person aggrieved, whichever is later, within one year"
R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-5-24.1(a) (checked October 7, 2026): "A complainant may ask for a right to sue in state court if not less than one hundred and twenty (120) days and not more than two (2) years have elapsed from the date of filing of a charge"
R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-112-2 (checked October 7, 2026): "may commence a civil action for injunctive and other appropriate equitable relief, and for the award of compensatory and exemplary damages, within three (3) years after the occurrence of the alleged violation of this chapter"
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