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On August 16, the Supreme Court refused to lift lower court orders blocking the Department of Education’s (DOE) new regulations protecting LGBTQ+ students from discrimination based on gender identity. The new rule expanded the definition of sex-based discrimination under Title IX to protect gender identity and sexual orientation discrimination in federally funded schools. The entire […]
On June 20, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (whose rulings apply to all Texas employers) delivered a blow to advocates of LGBTQ rights in the workplace when it sided with a self-described Christian business whose policies discriminated against gays. The lesson: Not all discrimination is unlawful discrimination. Discriminatory Policies Braidwood Management manages various […]
As transgender employees become more comfortable living openly as their authentic selves in the workplace, employers should be prepared to work with transitioning employees. Consider putting a plan in place that fosters an inclusive work environment and guards against discrimination based on gender identity and expression. This plan should include communicating with transitioning employees, educating […]
The rights of transgender persons have become a hot button issue not only in schools and sports but in the workplace as well. Recently, the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals (whose rulings apply to employers in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and West Virginia) weighed in on whether a transgender woman, who suffered […]
An employer wasn’t liable to a former employee who alleged he was terminated because he was transgender, the 5th Circuit recently ruled, upholding a Houston federal district court decision. The appeals court said the former employee failed to allege he was treated differently than cisgender employees. The court’s opinion offers guidance on an emerging area […]
As society and our collective consciousness have come to more fully understand and appreciate the varied gender identities of those around us, an ongoing debate has emerged regarding the use of pronouns. Advocates for gender rights have argued that the traditional binary he/she paradigm leaves many people out and forced others into a box they […]
The Equality Act, which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, passed the U.S. House of Representatives on February 25, but regardless of its chances of ever becoming law, employers are advised to review their policies and practices to guard against discrimination, attorneys who advise employers say.
Does Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibit discrimination based on gender identity (as part of its prohibition on gender discrimination)?
The Employment Law Question of the Decade is: Does the prohibition against sex-based discrimination include discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation? After countless debates on the issue in courts throughout the land, the U.S. Supreme Court is finally primed to give its answer in three cases being argued this term.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Throughout the country, courts have reached different conclusions about whether Title VII’s “on the basis of sex” language prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.