As detailed in this Huffington Post article, the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA), passed by Congress, but currently stalled in the house, would ban employers nationwide from firing or harassing employees based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Due to the house’s indecision, it is expected that it will be another two years before the bill is passed.
According to a White House official, in an attempt to circumvent this unnecessary time frame, President Barack Obama has requested that an executive order be drafted that would protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees of federal contractors.
Currently there are no federal laws that adequately protect the LGBT community from workplace discrimination. In 32 states, it is still legal to terminate an individual’s employment simply because of their sexual orientation. The proposed order will “build upon existing protections, which generally prohibit federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.” stated the White House official, further elaborating, “Today, millions of Americans in most states of the country go to work every day knowing they could lose their jobs simply because of who they are and who they love.”
What has been described as the new civil rights movement, LGBT rights are in the forefront of the nation’s issues. If you or someone you know thinks they have experienced employment discrimination, the team at Radford & Keebaugh can help. Contact us by phone at (678) 369-3609or use our contact form.