HRC report warns of anti-LGBT bills
The Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) issued a report and resource guide, "Chipping Away at Equality," that compiles more than two dozen new, sweeping and seemingly coordinated pieces of legislation in more than a dozen states across the countryall geared toward undermining LGBT equality via religious language, according to a press release.
Many of the measures are modeled on a failed attempt in Arizona last year that drew condemnation from businesses, faith communities and elected officials in both parties. Gov. Jan Brewer ultimately vetoed that proposal.
Some of the states with such measures, according to HRC, are Indiana, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Georgia, Michigan and Mississippi.
The report is at http://hrc-assets.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com//files/assets/resources/ChippingAwayAtEquality_Document.pdf.
Fed agency: Wal-Mart biased against lesbian
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ( EEOC ) said Wal-Mart discriminated against a lesbian employee who sought health coverage for her ailing wife and has ordered "a just resolution" for violating her civil rights, according to an Associated Press item in USA Today.
The EEOC ordered the retail giant to work with Jacqueline Cote of New Bedford, Massachusetts, who hopes the ruling will help her pay off $100,000 in medical bills.
In a Jan. 29 EEOC ruling, the agency said Cote "was treated differently and denied benefits because of her sex."
The original article is at www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2015/02/19/walmart-discrimination-charges-lesbians/23659179/ .