49-3-103. Permitted distinctions. (1) Nothing in this chapter prohibits any public employer:

(a) from enforcing a differentiation based on marital status, age, or physical or mental disability when based on a bona fide occupational qualification reasonably necessary to the normal operation of the particular business or where the differentiation is based on reasonable factors other than age;

(b) from observing the terms of a bona fide seniority system or any bona fide employee benefit plan, such as a retirement, pension, or insurance plan, that is not a subterfuge to evade the purposes of this chapter, except that an employee benefit plan may not excuse the failure to hire any individual;

(c) from discharging or otherwise disciplining an individual for good cause; or

(d) from providing greater or additional contributions to a bona fide group insurance plan for employees with dependents than to those employees without dependents or with fewer dependents.

(2) The application of an employment preference as provided for in 2-18-111, 10-2-402, 18-1-110, and Title 39, chapter 29 or 30, by a public employer as defined in 39-29-101 and 39-30-103 may not be construed to constitute a violation of this chapter.