Articles Posted in Sexual Orientation

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Image Credit: https://pixabay.com/en/pride-gay-nyc-new-york-city-flag-2444813/

A few weeks ago, a Pennsylvania federal judge reluctantly ruled in this case that discrimination based on sexual orientation is not unlawful (or you, could say, permissible) under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Continue reading

Judge Brett Michael Kavanaugh

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Yesterday, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh delivered the opinion for a unanimous Supreme Court in a case called Henry Schein, Inc. v. Archer & White Sales, Inc.  Although the Court’s decision has nothing to do with employment law — it’s a case about antitrust issues and arbitration — there’s a little something from Justice Kavanaugh’s that may be more than a little something.

At least as it relates to a big employment case that could be coming down Supreme Court Boulevard in 2019. Continue reading

Dutch rating 16

By Nederlands Instituut voor de Classificatie voor Audiovisueel Materiaal (NICAM) (http://www.kijkwijzer.nl/upload/download_pc/7.pdf) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

By the time you read this, I should be blissfully cruising in the Atlantic outside the range of any cell towers. However, between now (Saturday afternoon) and Monday, I am feverishly punching out 5 blog posts to hold you over until after Labor Day.

Will I sacrifice quality for quantity? Since you’re not paying me anything to blog, you bet I will. Hopefully, you won’t see it that way. But, if feel otherwise, go jump in a lake I’m sorry. Continue reading

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Public Domain, Link

It’s right there in the statute.

Under New Jersey and Delaware state law, you can’t discriminate against an employee based on his or her sexual orientation or gender identity.

Now, you won’t find the words “sexual orientation” or “gender identity” anywhere in the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. But, starting this month, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission is treating both “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as protected classes.

“Speak, English, Eric!”

LGBT discrimination is against the law in all three states in the tri-state area — at least according to the state agencies that administer each law. Continue reading

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Image Credit: Pexels.com (https://www.pexels.com/photo/alone-bed-bedroom-blur-271897/)

Usually, after my kids go to bed is when I write my blog posts for the following day. Last night that didn’t happen. Instead, while putting my two boys to bed, I fell asleep on the spare bed in their room. #Parenting

So, I apologize for the tardy post today. Continue reading

Ann-hopkins.jpg

By U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission – http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/history/40th/panel/hopkins.html, Public Domain, Link

Yesterday’s blog post highlighted the blistering dissent of Eleventh Circuit judge Hon. Robin S. Rosenbaum, as she criticized her colleagues for passing on the opportunity to reconsider whether Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protected employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation. In Judge Rosenbaum’s opinion, Title VII does afford those protections based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins. In that case, the Court concluded that sex stereotyping violates Title VII.  (It follows that Title VII precludes discrimination based on sexual orientation because of the failure to conform to the gender-based stereotype of loving someone of the opposite sex. Continue reading

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By Eoghanacht [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons

Here’s a little taste of Hon. Robin S. Rosenbaum giving her colleagues from the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals a piece of her mind:

The issue this case raises—whether Title VII protects gay and lesbian individuals from discrimination because their sexual preferences do not conform to their employers’ views of whom individuals of their respective genders should love—is indisputably en-banc-worthy…. I cannot explain why a majority of our Court is content to rely on the precedential equivalent of an Edsel with a missing engine, when it comes to an issue that affects so many people.

Continue reading

Masterpiece Cakeshop (Lakewood, Colorado).JPG

By Jeffrey BeallOwn work, CC BY 4.0, Link

Most of you have probably heard of the case that went to the Supreme Court involving a Colorado baker who would customize a wedding cake for a same-sex couple because he believed that doing so would violate his religious beliefs. The case is called Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission.

Yesterday, in a 7-2 ruling, the Supreme Court sided with the baker.

Today, you’ll read headlines like, “Supreme Court sides with Colorado baker who refused to make wedding cake for same-sex couple” or “Supreme Court Hands Win To Baker Who Refused Service To Gay Couple”

But, don’t get it twisted. Continue reading

pride-2444813_640

Image Credit: Pixabay.com (https://pixabay.com/en/pride-gay-nyc-new-york-city-flag-2444813/)

It took the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission about 50 years to recognize that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protected employees from discrimination based on their sexual orientation.

Now, in less than three years since the agency’s groundbreaking decision in 2015, two federal appellate courts have joined in concluding that sex discrimination under Title VII includes discrimination based on sexual orientation, as yesterday, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Zarda v. Altitude Express, Inc. issued its long-awaited decision. Continue reading

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