From National LGBTQ Task Force
WASHINGTON, DC, December 3, 2014 — Today, the U.S. Department of Labor released new guidelines on the implementation of an executive order signed by President Obama, which prohibits federal contractors from discriminating against LGBTQ employees.
"This is huge and its impact will be enormous. Millions of LGBTQ employees will have the strong protections against discrimination they deserve. It means that families will experience more of the peace-of-mind that economic security brings. We thank President Obama, Labor Secretary Perez, and Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Director Shiu for delivering on this promise to LGBTQ employees.
"Today's guidelines also represent another step forward on the road to a nation free from discrimination. In the 1970s, the Task Force was instrumental in the introduction of the first comprehensive nondiscrimination bill in Congress by the legendary Bella Abzug; we continued to push hard for more protections in the states, through the courts, and through important EEOC rulings; we advocated for executive actions to provide more protections for both federal employees and the employees of federal contractors. We won't stop until strong federal employment non-discrimination legislation is the law of these entire United States."
—Rev. Darlene Nipper, Deputy Executive Director, National LGBTQ Task Force
From NCTE
Washington, DC - Today, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a final rule to implement President Obama's July 21 Executive Order 13672 prohibiting federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating in employment practices on the bases of gender identity and sexual orientation.
The National Center for Transgender Equality ( NCTE ) welcomes this move by the Administration toward implementing stronger protections for millions of LGBT workers across the country. We strongly urge all workers who have faced discrimination to seek legal help and file federal complaints-regardless of whether they work for Federal contractors. Further guidance from the Department, addressing everyday workplace barriers many transgender workers face, is urgently needed to ensure this rule translates into true equal opportunity.
According to NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling, "We are pleased that the administration has taken this next step and we're eager to continue working with them to clarify more and more in every possible way that job discrimination against transgender people is illegal always and everywhere-regardless of where the worker lives and what kind of employer they have."
The US Department of Education this week issued guidance further confirming that schools must respect a student's gender identity in matters such as taking single-sex classes. As in previous federal guidance, transgender students were addressed as part of a larger document dealing with a specific issue—in this case, when and how K-12 schools may offer single-sex classes.
For more information about transgender people's employment rights, see transequality.org/Resources/EmploymentKnowYourRights_Sept2013.pdf .
Learn more at transequality.org/Resources/EmploymentKnowYourRights_Sept2013.pdf .
Pride at Work Statement on the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Issuing the Final Rule to Implement President Obama's Executive Order Barring LGBT Workplace Discrimination for Federal Contractors
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance, which is housed within the Department of Labor, issued it's final rule changing federal policy to ban federal contractors from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Pride at Work (P@W), the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) constituency group of organized labor, lauded the news with this caveat from Executive Director Jerame Davis:
"At Pride at Work, we welcome this long-awaited change to federal contractor employment policy. The issuance of this rule is the final step to enact President Obama's executive order extending anti-discrimination protections to the employees of companies that do business with the federal government and with it, more than a quarter of the nation's workforce will be covered. We commend the President and his Administration for its commitment to LGBT equality and, especially, for standing up for LGBT workers, but this rule is not a silver bullet.
"Every day, LGBT workers face untold difficulties in the workplace. From taunts and harassment to being denied promotions and being fired, LGBT employees are regular targets on the job and in the hiring process. With the implementation of this rule, which will cover some portion of workers in all 50 states, it is still true that the best - and sometimes only - workplace protections for vulnerable workers is a strong union contract. Under state law in 29 states, it is still legal to fire an LGBT employee and in 3 additional states, there are no state-level protections for transgender workers. Federal EEOC and Justice Department decisions have recently expanded protections to transgender workers under the sex discrimination ban included in Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
"All collective bargaining agreements lay out a legally binding process for employee hiring processes and discipline and most contracts negotiated today include specific LGBT protections. This critical layer of protection is necessary even in handful of states that have laws on the books to protect LGBT workers.
"Pride at Work reaffirms its call for Congress to pass a clean, comprehensive LGBT anti-discrimination bill and reasserts that, even with these rules and laws in place, the added protection of a union contract is a necessary and vital part protecting LGBT workers."
