Transgender Community Steps Closer to Employment Equality

[Amelia Pond]

Transgender Community Steps Closer to Employment Equality
Maya Rhodan, Sept. 16, 2013

A transgender woman has reached a $50,000 settlement with her former employer in a discrimination case in South Dakota, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced Monday,  accelerating a trend toward equal opportunity for transgender workers.

Cori McCreery, 29, was fired in 2010 after telling her employer at Don's Valley Market in Rapid City, S.D. that she would be transitioning on the job. Lambda Legal, a legal organization for lesbian, gay, and transgender people as well as those living with HIV, filed a complaint on McCreery's behalf in 2012 in partnership with the EEOC, saying her employer violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

McCreery will receive $50,000 according to a statement on the EEOC website and there will be a public notice on the bulletin board of her former employer, Lambda says. The employer will also be responsible for issuing an apology and letter of recommendation to McCreery.

[Jordan]

That is awesome Precident she set!  Its hilarious that a job can fire you for so many things, but they mess with the Transgendered and they Get Sued!!!

This should help so many Transgendered people that are fearful they will lose thier jobs for transitioning, it has/was my biggest fear to today!

If your fired at least maybe you can afford the SRS!!  Worst case your fellows employees have to put up with it, and you'll get looked at more for your work, which most Trans People are usually very good at doing!!!

Law from 1964!!!!

[Amy The Bookworm]

That is awesome Precident she set!  Its hilarious that a job can fire you for so many things, but they mess with the Transgendered and they Get Sued!!!

This should help so many Transgendered people that are fearful they will lose thier jobs for transitioning, it has/was my biggest fear to today!

If your fired at least maybe you can afford the SRS!!  Worst case your fellows employees have to put up with it, and you'll get looked at more for your work, which most Trans People are usually very good at doing!!!

Law from 1964!!!!

Yep!

Still, I don't know that this helps us find a job in the first place (My biggest worry after college and one of the very few things keeping me from taking the leap to getting on HRT), and with how few cases there are that have been brought up, I'm guessing that it's either a very lengthy process, or a prohibitively expensive one for people who desperately need the EEOC's protection at the moment. And since it's not really a law per say if I understand correctly, the EEOC could change their view on this depending on who's in charge or an official's mood.

:/

ENDA can't get passed soon enough, and even then, I'm not delusional or optimistic enough to think that it will cure our problems with employment and housing in the U.S.

Sorry. This has just been on my mind lately. One of the first things I do every single day, is come here to Susans to check news stories. It's right after I look up a few news outlets and before I look up face book to touch base with family and distant friends. And it's crossed my mind that this activity has become a part of my daily life because, honestly, I'm terrified of what my future may be like and I hope and pray constantly for better news.