The Illinois Appellate Court last week lifted an injunction that prohibited the Chicago Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America from considering sexual orientation in hiring for staff positions, the Chicago Tribune reports.
The Chicago Commission on Human Relations issued the injunction in 1996 in connection with a discrimination complaint filed by G. Keith Richardson, an openly gay man who was refused a position with the Scouts because he's gay. The injunction was upheld in 1999 by Judge Stephen Schiller.
The appellate ruling orders the commission to get more information about Richardson's complaint, including what kind of position he had been seeking. But it also clarifies that the Scouts can't automatically reject gay applicants for jobs that aren't high profile or policymaking.
Richardson sent a letter to the Scouts in 1992 stating that he was gay "and very interested in any job opening with the [council]." Scout representatives responded that they would not hire an openly gay staffer, prompting Richardson to file the commission complaint.
An attorney for the Scouts told the Tribune that the ban on gays applies only to high-level high-profile positions and doesn't affect support staff.
Copyright © 2001 Lambda Publications Inc. All rights reserved. Lambda publishes Windy City Times, The Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community, Nightlines, Out Resource Guide, Clout! Business Report, Blacklines and En La Vida. 1115 W. Belmont 2D, Chicago, IL 60657; PH (773) 871-7610; FAX (773) 871-7609. Web at outlineschicago.com E-mail feedback to outlines@suba.com!