Losing a Paycheck for Being Gay
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The New York Times ~ By TARA SIEGEL BERNARD
Now that Delaware and Minnesota have legalized gay marriage, there are 12 states where same-sex couples can marry. And in the next few weeks, the Supreme Court is expected to weigh in on a constitutional challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between one man and one woman.
Given all of the momentum on gay rights in recent years, it’s easy to overlook the fact that gay workers lack a basic but crucial protection: there is still no federal law that explicitly protects employees from job discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity, which is the subject of this week’s Your Money column.
A patchwork of state and local laws, along with court and agency decisions, provides some protections. But gay rights advocates say what’s really needed is a federal law.
If you or someone you know was a victim of this type of discrimination, civil rights experts suggest reaching out to an advocacy organization, such as Lambda Legal, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, or the American Civil Liberties Union. They can help assess the strength of your claim, and chart the best course of action based on where you live.
Have you been subject to this type of discrimination? How did you resolve the issue?
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In few years that would not happen anymore.
