ACLU Comment on DOL Final Rule Prohibiting Federal Contractors from LGBT Workplace Discrimination

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: 212-549-2666, media@aclu.org

WASHINGTON – This afternoon, the Department of Labor published a new rule to prohibit businesses that contract with the federal government from engaging in workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The rule implements the historic LGBT non-discrimination executive order that was signed by President Obama in July. The rule will appear in the Federal Register on Thursday and will take effect 120 days later.

The following comment can be attributed to Laura W. Murphy, director of the American Civil Liberties Union Washington Legislative Office:

“The publication of this rule is another landmark moment in the ongoing fight for workplace dignity and fairness for LGBT Americans. These critical, long overdue protections – covering approximately 20 percent of the entire labor force – build on a bipartisan tradition dating back over 70 years of prohibiting taxpayer-funded discrimination.”

The rule is available at:
http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/LGBT/OFCCP_LGBT_Rule%20Final_12114_JRF_QA_508c.pdf