You Can Still Be Fired for Being LGBTQ in Some States, but Maybe the Supreme Court Will Fix That

Discrimination against people for their sexual orientation is wrong, right? We should hire, promote, and pay people based on what they contribute to the business not on who they date (or don’t date). But, federal law isn’t clear and right now, LGBTQ people only have clear protections in place in some states.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is the federal law which protects people on the basis of race, color, religion, sex and national origin. It doesn’t specifically state sexual orientation, and as such the federal courts have been divided on whether or not you can be fired for being gay.

Some states have stepped into action and have made their own laws. 21 states (and Washington, DC) have put their own protections into place, leaving the majority of states on their own. Money.com put together an interactive map that can tell you the laws in your own state. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and Washington all have statewide legislation protecting people against sexual orientation and gender identity. Michigan and Pennsylvania have similar protections, but they come through court rules or executive decree rather than legislative action. Indiana and Wisconsin recognize sexual orientation as a protected class, but not gender identity.

To keep reading, click here: You Can Still Be Fired for Being LGBTQ in Some States, but Maybe the Supreme Court Will Fix That

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