The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces the 1964 Civil Rights Act, within which Title VII makes it “unlawful to discriminate in hiring, discharge, promotion, referral, and other facets of employment on the basis of color, race, religion, sex, or national origin.”
In June of 2020, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, and held that the protections of Title VII are extended to gay, lesbian, and transgender employees.
What This Historic Ruling Means
Amid the case, the current administration argued that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination based on sex, does not extend to claims of gender identity and sexual orientation. However, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of protecting the 8.1 million LGBTQ individuals in the United States from being fired solely because of their gender identity or sexual orientation. Shockingly, before this ruling, only 22 states plus the District of Colombia had laws protecting LGBTQ individuals from employment discrimination.
“An employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex. Sex plays a necessary and undisguisable role in the decision, exactly what Title VII forbids,” Justice Gorsuch wrote.
What Constitutes Workplace Discrimination and How To Recognize It
Because there are so many situations in which discrimination can occur at work, it can be challenging to recognize. Some examples include:
- Denying individual employees compensation or benefits
- Paying equally-qualified employees in the same position different salaries
- Discrimination when allocating maternity leave or retirement options
- Denying the use of company facilities
- Discrimination when issuing promotions or lay-offs
The employment attorneys at the Gokal Law Group, Inc. represent employees in all employment-related disputes and lawsuits. Employees with disputes often feel like they lack the power or ability to stand up to their employers when they are being mistreated and worry about their job and quality of life. Employment disputes can evolve into severe challenges that affect the work environment, your ability to perform regular work, and your well-being and quality of life.
Gokal Law Group is a family firm that treats our clients as if they were our own flesh and blood. We fight for our clients as we would our own children, sisters, brothers, and parents. We are our clients’ warriors, fighting to bring them justice and right the wrongs they have endured.
Each attorney has a specific practice area for which they are tried, tested, and battle-ready. Each has vast years of experience in their practice area, providing them the knowledge, skills, and vision to fight and win. Learn more about Gokal Law Group and our employment litigation services.