Gay Groups Refocus on Workplace

Workforce Management March 2011 Efforts to bar employment discrimination against gays on a national level date back to 1974, and the ENDA legislation itself has floundered in Congress since 1994. Opponents contend the act would create a more litigious workplace. By James Walsh Emboldened by the repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, gay rights groups have set their sights once again on the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA. The act would prohibit public and private employers, employment agencies and labor unions from using an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity as a basis for discrimination. The proposed law, which was reintroduced in the House on March 30 by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., would cover hiring, firing, promotion or compensation decisions, according to the gay advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign. But James Esseks, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender & AIDS Project, believes ENDA would achieve much more than legal protection in the workplace. “The law sets expectations for society,” Esseks says. “Establishing new social norms for appropriate behavior is going to create a better environment for both straight and LGBT people in the workplace.” With gay employees spending time worrying about discrimination, he adds, companies aren’t fully benefiting from their talent. Full Story: http://www.workforce.com/section/hr-management/feature/gay-groups-refocus-workplace/index.html