Schakowsky Votes for Historic Civil Rights Legislation to End Employment Discrimination Based On Sexual Orientation

SCHAKOWSKY VOTES FOR HISTORIC CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION TO END EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION BASED ON
SEXUAL ORIENTATION

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) today voted in favor of historic legislation to end workplace discrimination against Americans on the basis of sexual orientation. The U.S. House of Representatives approved the bill by a vote of 235 to 184.

"The Democratic-led Congress took a historic step today to protect gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans against employment discrimination,... said U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL). "I believe that discrimination in the workplace has no place in the United States. I was disappointed that the House-passed bill did not include gender identity. When I came to Congress in 1999, I implemented an office employment policy that went beyond existing federal law to extend existing protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity....

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3685), would prohibit employment discrimination against gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans. Under the legislation, employers with 15 or more employees would be barred from firing, refusing to hire, demoting, refusing to promote, or otherwise discriminating against workers on the basis of sexual orientation.

"Today's vote was a hard-fought and long-overdue victory for my friends in the gay, lesbian and bisexual community, but I will not rest until every person has an equal opportunity to get a job, obtain a promotion and enjoy dignity on the job,... said U.S. Rep. Schakowsky.

Thirty states permit employers to discriminate against employees based solely on their sexual orientation, and no federal law prohibits such discrimination today. Many businesses have enacted nondiscrimination policies, both for civil rights and competitiveness reasons. Nearly 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies have adopted policies of sexual orientation nondiscrimination.

The legislation would prohibit preferential treatment on the basis of sexual orientation. The bill would also protect the religious liberty of religious organizations, including religious schools that are not affiliated with any particular church or denomination.