Walnut Creek Manor v. Fair Employment & Housing Commission

Opinion

PANELLI, J.

Pursuant to section 12987 of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (Gov. Code, § 12900 et seq.) (the act), the Fair Employment and Housing Commission (the commission) is authorized to order a respondent who is found to have violated the housing provisions of the act to pay “punitive damages in an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) . . . and the payment of actual damages.” (Gov. Code, § 12987, subd. (2).)1 We granted review in this case to construe and determine the constitutionality of the damages provision of the act.

We conclude that while section…