On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear three cases about whether our nation's main civil rights law bars discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination "because of sex," as well as race, color, national origin and religion.
DOJ Argues That Title VII Does Not Cover Transgender Employees
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is one of our nation's main civil rights law. Among other things, it prohibits covered employers from discriminating in any aspect of employment based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Questions have arisen over time, however, about the breadth of the law's coverage when it comes to sex. Is it illegal to discriminate based on homosexuality? Against someone who doesn't comply with sexual stereotypes? Against transgender people?
Report: law needed to ban a form of workplace discrimination
It’s time for the federal government to do more than talk the talk. It’s time for Washington to walk the walk and pass a law prohibiting workplace discrimination against federal workers based on sexual orientation, the independent Merit Systems Protection Board says in a new report.
Vice President Biden discusses LGBT work discrimination reform
Over the past several months, President Obama has been widely criticized for failing to protect the LGBT community from a certain kind of discrimination. It is within the president’s authority to draft an executive order insisting that LGBT workers must be protected from employment discrimination based on their sexual orientation and sexual identifications. The president has declined to draft such an order however, for one arguably compelling reason.
Sexual orientation anti-discrimination bill introduced in Senate
This week was a historic week in professional sports. NBA center Jason Collins came out as gay, becoming the first male professional athlete to do so. The NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL all ban sexual orientation discrimination in their leagues, but nonetheless no one has felt comfortable coming out publicly until Collins.
Transgender employment rights bill introduced by Maryland lawmakers
Anyone who watched President Barack Obama's inauguration last week likely heard the president's unexpected announcement of his support for gay rights. That proclamation has swiftly been followed by a call to action by gay rights activists, and one of the first things asked of the president has been that he ban federal contractors from practicing sexual orientation discrimination. Many might be surprised that this type of discrimination is not already outlawed in employment.
