Mar 26, 2015
NC Senators Introduce Bill to Protect LGBT Workers
RALEIGH, N.C. (March 26, 2015) -- Senators Erica Smith-Ingram (D-Bertie, Chowan, Edgecombe, Hertford, Martin, Northampton, Tyrrell, Washington) and Terry Van Duyn (D-Buncombe) introduced Senate Bill 612, "Nondiscrimination in State Employment" on Thursday, providing much-needed protections for North Carolina's LGBT workers.
The legislation is intended to amend the State Personnel Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression to the list of classifications covered by the state's equal employment opportunity law. The bill also requires local boards of education to adopt policies for nondiscrimination in employment, including sexual orientation and gender identity or expression among the covered classifications.
“In North Carolina today, decent, hardworking North Carolinians can be fired simply because of who they are or who they love,” said Chris Sgro, executive director of Equality NC. “We applaud this effort to protect our state’s most vulnerable public employees.”
Sgro added, “Through this bill, Equality NC will not only stand with legislators willing to protect all state employees, but also mobilize hundreds of community, campus, faith, and business leaders who are also ready to work with them for equality in employment and beyond.”