Pennsylvania Fairness Act Proposed in the State Legislature

Though the ban on same-sex marriage was overturned in Pennsylvania in 2014, LGBT individuals continue to face challenges in many parts of the state. Specifically, there is currently no statewide law protecting LGBT persons from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity by private employers. Public employees are protected from such discrimination, as are employees in certain areas and cities of the state, though in many regions, an employer can refuse to hire you, harass you, or terminate you for identifying as LGBT.

Though similar laws have been proposed and have failed on the state level several times, the Pennsylvania Fairness Act—which would provide protections in the workplace, in public places, and in the housing market—is once again on the table¹ in the state legislature. Passing the Act is a bipartisan effort in both the state House of Representatives and Senate, which has made many advocacy groups hopeful it will successfully pass this time around. Additionally, surveys show that 93 percent² of people living in Pennsylvania are in support of such protections from discrimination and harassment for LGBT individuals.

Federal anti-discrimination law also under consideration

On the federal level, the Equality Act has again been proposed to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to provide protections for members of the LGBT community in employment, housing, credit, and more. Favorably, many leading corporations in the U.S. announced their support³ of the federal Act, including American Airlines, Google, Facebook, Nike, General Mills, Apple, and more. Whether or not the Pennsylvania Act passes, a federal Act would apply to employers on a national level. Our eyes will be on the progress of both of these pieces of anti-discrimination legislation.

Discuss your situation with an experienced Pittsburgh, PA employment discrimination attorney

Employees in and around Pittsburgh suffer unlawful discrimination, retaliation, and harassment on a daily basis and often believe they have no other option but to accept the situation. At the Lamberton Law Firm, LLC, we are committed to standing up for the rights of employees and helping them hold their employers accountable for their wrongful actions. If you would like to discuss your rights, call us at 412-258-2250 for help today.

¹http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/critical-legislation-introduced-to-protect-lgbt-pennsylvanians-from-discrim

²http://www.pennsylvaniacompetes.org/support/

³http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/momentum-builds-corporate-giants-announce-support-for-federal-lgbt-non-disc