Title VII protects LGBT employee rights

LGBT employees now have protection when it comes to their rights in the workplace. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC, determined that since Title VII protects discrimination based on sex, employers can’t discriminate against LGBT workers concerning sexual orientation or gender identity. The determination is another step to equality in the workplace.

To help explore these issues, College Recruiter recently hosted a College Recruiting Bootcamp on LGBT and other diversity hiring issues on Tuesday, September 29, at the Twilio headquarters in San Francisco.

College Recruiter has been publishing the opinions from a number of talent acquisition and recruiting leaders about why and how employers should diversify their workforces. Marc J. Siegel, Founder and Managing Partner of Siegel Law Group Ltd., discusses how Title VII protects the rights of LGBT employees.

Marc J. Siegel, Founder and Managing Partner of Siegel Law Group Ltd.

“Coming on the heels of the Supreme Court’s decision this summer recognizing the constitutional right of same-sex couples to marry, the EEOC held that Title VII protects the rights of LGBT employees. The EEOC based this determination on the grounds that Title VII protects employees from discrimination based upon sex, and discrimination against LGBT employees is inherently based upon sex. I applaud this decision, which will ultimately be tested in the courts. I’m optimistic that protections will continue to develop for LGBT employees at the federal level. In the meantime, the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago recognize LGBT employees as a protected class. The workplace should be an environment where everyone is protected and afforded equal opportunity to flourish.”

Marc J. Siegel is the Founder and Managing Partner of Siegel Law Group Ltd. and has practiced labor and employment law for his entire career. He has a unique labor and employment background, representing both individuals and businesses in a wide range of matters. Mr. Siegel spent approximately seven years practicing at Laner Muchin, a mid-size Chicago management-side boutique labor and employment firm.