(a) The provisions of this act shall be construed liberally for the accomplishment of the purposes thereof, and any law inconsistent with any provisions hereof shall not apply.

(b) Except as provided in subsection (c), nothing contained in this act shall be deemed to repeal or supersede any of the provisions of any existing or hereafter adopted municipal ordinance, municipal charter or of any law of this Commonwealth relating to discrimination because of race, color, familial status, religious creed, ancestry, age, sex, national origin or handicap or disability, but as to acts declared unlawful by section five of this act the procedure herein provided shall, when invoked, be exclusive and the final determination therein shall exclude any other action, civil or criminal, based on the same grievance of the complainant concerned. If the complainant institutes any action based on such grievance without resorting to the procedure provided in this act, such complainant may not subsequently resort to the procedure herein. In the event of a conflict between the interpretation of a provision of this act and the interpretation of a similar provision contained in any municipal ordinance, the interpretation of the provision in this act shall apply to such municipal ordinance.

(c.1) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c) or any other provision of this act, nothing in this act shall be deemed to authorize imposition by the Commission of remedial quota relief in cases involving hiring or promoting of employes of the Commonwealth, its agencies or instrumentalities or employes of local governments and school districts in this Commonwealth. This subsection shall not, however, prohibit the voluntary adoption of an affirmative action plan designed to assure that all persons are accorded equality of opportunity in employment.

(c.2) If, after a trial held pursuant to subsection (c), the court of common pleas finds that a defendant engaged in or is engaging in any unlawful discriminatory practice as defined in this act, the court may award attorney fees and costs to the prevailing plaintiff.

(c.3) If, after a trial held pursuant to subsection (c), the court of common pleas finds that a defendant has not engaged in or is not engaging in any unlawful discriminatory practice as defined in this act, the court may award attorney fees and costs to the prevailing defendant if the defendant proves that the complaint was brought in bad faith.

(d) Nothing in this act shall be construed to require any employer to hire any person with a job-related handicap or disability.

(e) The time limits for filing under any complaint or other pleading under this act shall be subject to waiver, estoppel and equitable tolling.

(f) Nothing in this act shall be constructed as superseding any provision of the act of October 15, 1980 (P.L. 950, No. 164), known as the “Commonwealth Attorneys Act.”¹ All court actions commenced by or against the Commission shall be subject to the provisions of that act.