Over twenty leaders of organizations send joint letter to Congress
CHICAGO More than twenty leaders of Illinois religious, civic, civil rights and labor organizations have written to the Illinois members of Congress asking them to vote for the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act ( ENDA ) , which would prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
The signers pointed out that in 2005 the Illinois Human Rights Act was amended to include sexual orientation and gender identity and that "job security should not depend on the state or city in which a person works". The signers also noted that "labor unions and businesses throughout our state, large and small, have implemented policies to prohibit LGBT discrimination including Abbott, Sara Lee and Walgreens".
"Companies such as these have long realized that judging a worker based on qualification and merit, rather than personal characteristics like sexual orientation or gender identity is the best business practice," said Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois the organization that organized the joint letter.
Last Thursday, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan gave testimony before the US Senate Committee hearing on ENDA. Attorney General Madigan testified that sixteen Illinois municipalities have had similar legislation for years and the statewide nondiscrimination bill has been in effect for three years. The laws have caused no problems with businesses or religious institutions and that they have been good for Illinois.
ENDA is expected to come for a vote in the United States House before the end of the year and in the Senate early next year. It enjoys wide support in the business, religious, civic and civil rights communities.
Among the singers of the letter are the leaders of USAction, Citizen Action, SEIU Illinois Council, Local 1 Unite Here, Ant-Defamation League, Jewish Council on Urban Affairs and the Catholic 8th Day Center for Justice.
FROM A MEDIA RELEASE