Susan's Place Transgender Resources

News and Events => Political and Legal News => Topic started by: Amelia Pond on August 21, 2013, 08:49:16 AM

Title: Labor Department Refuses To Answer Questions On Transgender Protections
Post by: Amelia Pond on August 21, 2013, 08:49:16 AM
Labor Department Refuses To Answer Questions On Transgender Protections (http://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisgeidner/labor-department-refuses-to-answer-questions-on-transgender)
Chris Geidner, August 20, 2013, 9:23pm EDT

Labor Department officials have refused for more than a year to answer questions from BuzzFeed about whether transgender workers for federal contractors are legally protected from discrimination. And, nearly a month into Labor Secretary Tom Perez's tenure, answers are no more forthcoming.

The questions surround Executive Order 11246, which was signed by President Lyndon Johnson and bans federal contractors doing more than $10,000 a year of business with the federal government from discriminating on the basis of race, sex, religion or national origin. The executive order is enforced by the Labor Department, and, under the department's policies, an April 2012 ruling by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission should have led the department to expand its definition of sex in the executive order to include anti-transgender discrimination.

The Labor Department, however, has issued no public guidance about the issue, and officials have refused repeated requests for comment on the issue.
Title: Re: Labor Department Refuses To Answer Questions On Transgender Protections
Post by: Jasriella on August 21, 2013, 09:53:20 AM
Seems pretty typical to me.
Title: Re: Labor Department Refuses To Answer Questions On Transgender Protections
Post by: mrs izzy on August 21, 2013, 01:04:26 PM
Its like the EEOC ruling, It will come down to someone filing a law suit before someone sticks there neck out. I think most are waiting for the states to pass laws.

Izz

Title: Re: Labor Department Refuses To Answer Questions On Transgender Protections
Post by: TiaNadiezja on August 25, 2013, 02:57:31 AM
Quote from: mind is quiet now on August 21, 2013, 01:04:26 PM
Its like the EEOC ruling, It will come down to someone filing a law suit before someone sticks there neck out. I think most are waiting for the states to pass laws.

Izz
That this is being considered a state issue is problematic.  "Equal protection under the law" is a Constitutional issue, and ought to require no further legislation.  The Executive and courts ought to be handling it, because the law is already there.