Supporters of rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer and transgender people in Florida got good news from two recent cases concerning workplace discrimination. Both rulings disallowed discrimination against transgender or gay people at their jobs on the basis of religious faith. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th and 8th Circuits applied the prohibition on sex discrimination in Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act so that it protected people perceived by employers to not meet gender stereotypes.
In a case that was brought before the 6th Circuit, a transgender person challenged being fired by the funeral home that employed her after informing them about her plan to transition to her preferred gender identity. Although the owner of the funeral home had argued that the woman’s transgender status interfered with his religious views, the court found that her employment placed no burden on the employer’s religious practice.
Similarly, in the 8th Circuit, an employer that rescinded a job offer because of a man’s sexual orientation lost on appeal. The plaintiff had been recruited by the company and quit his other job to accept the new offer only to have the employer reverse its decision because of a religious belief against gays. He said that the job loss ruined his career and left his life in disarray.
When a person is mistreated at work or denied employment, an attorney could answer his or her questions about his or her legal rights. With Boca Raton, Florida, LGBT workplace discrimination assistance, a person could learn if his or her employer’s behavior crossed legal lines. An attorney could assemble evidence for a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and then represent an individual during negotiations with his or her employer for a financial settlement. When necessary, a lawyer could also prepare court filings to initiate a lawsuit on his or her client’s behalf.
