20-148. Deprivation of constitutional and statutory rights, privileges, or immunities; redress.

(1) Any person or company, as defined in section 49-801, except any political subdivision, who subjects or causes to be subjected any citizen of this state or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the United States Constitution or the Constitution and laws of the State of Nebraska, shall be liable to such injured person in a civil action or other proper proceeding for redress brought by such injured person.

(2) The remedies provided by this section shall be in addition to any other remedy provided by Chapter 20, article 1, and shall not be interpreted as denying any person the right of seeking other proper remedies provided thereunder.

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Annotations

This section, providing persons with a private cause of action for deprivation of constitutional and statutory rights, is a procedural statute designed to allow plaintiffs to bypass administrative procedures in discrimination actions against private employers; it does not operate to waive sovereign immunity. Potter v. Board of Regents, 287 Neb. 732, 844 N.W.2d 741 (2014).

The applicable statute of limitations for Nebraska Fair Employment Practice Act claims brought pursuant to this section shall be measured by section 48-1118. Adkins v. Burlington Northern Santa Fe RR. Co., 260 Neb. 156, 615 N.W.2d 469 (2000).

This section does not modify the eligibility criteria under sections 48-1001 et seq. and 48-1101 et seq. Steier v. Crosier Fathers of Hastings, 242 Neb. 16, 492 N.W.2d 870 (1992).

This section does not constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity by the State of Nebraska for actions brought in federal court under 42 U.S.C. 1983 (1982). Patteson v. Johnson, 219 Neb. 852, 367 N.W.2d 123 (1985).

This section does not waive the sovereign immunity of the State of Nebraska as to actions brought in federal court under 42 U.S.C. section 1983 (1982) to protect rights under the contract clause (article I, section 10, of the U.S. Constitution) and property interests protected under the fourteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Wiseman v. Keller, 218 Neb. 717, 358 N.W.2d 768 (1984).

This section provides a private cause of action for private acts of discrimination by private employers and does not apply to individuals acting in their capacities as public officials. Cole v. Isherwood, 11 Neb. App. 44, 642 N.W.2d 524 (2002).

This section provides a private cause of action for private acts of discrimination by private employers; it does not apply to individuals acting in their capacities as public officials. Cole v. Clarke, 8 Neb. App. 614, 598 N.W.2d 768 (1999).