WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Frank Pallone issued the following statement today regarding the U.S. Department of Labor’s announced rule to protect federal contract workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The rule will formally implement Executive Order 13672, signed by President Obama in July 2014:
“Today’s announcement by the Department of Labor confirms what we already know: what matters in the workplace is how you do your job, not who you are or who you love. No one in this country should be subjected to discrimination and harassment at work. I commend Secretary Perez and the Department of Labor for taking a critical step today to implement President Obama’s Executive Order and to ensure that members of the LGBT community receive the same protections afforded to all other Americans.
“While this is an important step towards prohibiting discrimination in the workplace for federal contractors, there is more work that needs to be done. Congress has an obligation to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and guarantee fairness in the workplace for every American employee. Congress must schedule a vote on ENDA immediately in order to provide these same protections to all LGBT workers—not just those fortunate enough to be covered by this particular rule.
“I remain committed to working in Congress to make sure that all Americans are free to work without the threat of harassment or discrimination, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. Today’s announcement by the Department of Labor, though, serves as a crucial step forward in our efforts to guarantee LGBT equality in this country.”
Showing posts with label workplace discrimination. Show all posts
Showing posts with label workplace discrimination. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Pallone Leads Letter Urging President Obama to Sign Executive Order Protecting LGBT Workers from Workplace Discrimination Without Exemptions
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) led a letter signed by 34 Members of Congress urging President Obama not to include special exemptions for religious organizations in his planned executive order regarding workplace protections for LGBT Americans employed by federal contractors. The letter comes in response to faith groups calling on President Obama to create exemptions that would allow an employee to be fired based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
“We set a dangerous precedent if we exempt religious organizations from these workplace protections,” said Congressman Pallone. “The federal government has an obligation to put a complete stop to unfair and discriminatory practices. I am pleased to lead my colleagues in calling for an executive order that ensures all Americans are afforded the same protections in the workplace.”
Pallone, a long-time advocate for LGBT equality, has been a leader on this issue for years, having held a Congressional briefing in 2012 examining the need to require federal contractors to have sexual orientation and gender identity anti-discrimination policies. He has also led letters to President Obama urging executive action on the issue for the last three years.
The full text of the letter is below:
July 15, 2014
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
Like so many Americans, we were proud of your commitment to sign an Executive Order banning federal contractors from discriminating against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans. We urge you to sign this Executive Order as soon as possible without exemptions, ensuring that it will protect every American who works with the Federal Government. We believe that this is a critical step towards ensuring that members of the LGBT community receive the same protections afforded to all citizens. What matters in the workplace is how you do your job—not who you are. No one in this country should be subjected to discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
In 2014, it is absolutely unconscionable that a federal contract worker could be fired on the basis of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity without legal repercussions. Thanks to your upcoming Executive Order, this discrimination will be a thing of the past. The federal government has a moral responsibility to ensure that all citizens are treated equally and with dignity.
Like many people of faith, we believe that a fully inclusive America benefits us all. However, we are disheartened to hear that some faith organizations wish to overturn this progress and continue this legalized discrimination. Creating a religious exemption for workplace discrimination would set a dangerous precedent for employees around the country. With this exemption, employers would be able to fire or refuse to hire someone based on his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. Your action at the federal level must put a complete stop to these unfair and discriminatory workplace practices.
We thank you for considering our request. Thank you again for your leadership on advancing LGBT equality, and we look forward to seeing your final Executive Order.
Sincerely,
FRANK PALLONE, JR. AMI BERA, M.D.
Member of Congress Member of Congress
ROBERT BRADY JULIA BROWNLEY
Member of Congress Member of Congress
TONY CARDENAS EMANUEL CLEAVER
Member of Congress Member of Congress
STEVE COHEN JOHN CONYERS, JR.
Member of Congress Member of Congress
SUSAN DAVIS KEITH ELLISON
Member of Congress Member of Congress
LOIS FRANKEL JOHN GARAMENDI
Member of Congress Member of Congress
ALAN GRAYSON BRIAN HIGGINS
Member of Congress Member of Congress
STEVEN HORSFORD RICK LARSEN
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JOHN LEWIS JIM MCDERMOTT
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JAMES MCGOVERN JIM MORAN
Member of Congress Member of Congress
GLORIA NEGRETE MCLEOD DONALD M. PAYNE, JR.
Member of Congress Member of Congress
CHARLES B. RANGEL LUCILLE ROYAL-ALLARD
Member of Congress Member of Congress
LINDA SANCHEZ JOHN P. SARBANES
Member of Congress Member of Congress
ALLYSON SCHWARTZ BOBBY SCOTT
Member of Congress Member of Congress
ALBIO SIRES MIKE THOMPSON
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JOHN F. TIERNEY DINA TITUS
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JUAN VARGAS HENRY WAXMAN
Member of Congress Member of Congress
“We set a dangerous precedent if we exempt religious organizations from these workplace protections,” said Congressman Pallone. “The federal government has an obligation to put a complete stop to unfair and discriminatory practices. I am pleased to lead my colleagues in calling for an executive order that ensures all Americans are afforded the same protections in the workplace.”
Pallone, a long-time advocate for LGBT equality, has been a leader on this issue for years, having held a Congressional briefing in 2012 examining the need to require federal contractors to have sexual orientation and gender identity anti-discrimination policies. He has also led letters to President Obama urging executive action on the issue for the last three years.
The full text of the letter is below:
July 15, 2014
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
Like so many Americans, we were proud of your commitment to sign an Executive Order banning federal contractors from discriminating against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans. We urge you to sign this Executive Order as soon as possible without exemptions, ensuring that it will protect every American who works with the Federal Government. We believe that this is a critical step towards ensuring that members of the LGBT community receive the same protections afforded to all citizens. What matters in the workplace is how you do your job—not who you are. No one in this country should be subjected to discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
In 2014, it is absolutely unconscionable that a federal contract worker could be fired on the basis of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity without legal repercussions. Thanks to your upcoming Executive Order, this discrimination will be a thing of the past. The federal government has a moral responsibility to ensure that all citizens are treated equally and with dignity.
Like many people of faith, we believe that a fully inclusive America benefits us all. However, we are disheartened to hear that some faith organizations wish to overturn this progress and continue this legalized discrimination. Creating a religious exemption for workplace discrimination would set a dangerous precedent for employees around the country. With this exemption, employers would be able to fire or refuse to hire someone based on his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. Your action at the federal level must put a complete stop to these unfair and discriminatory workplace practices.
We thank you for considering our request. Thank you again for your leadership on advancing LGBT equality, and we look forward to seeing your final Executive Order.
Sincerely,
FRANK PALLONE, JR. AMI BERA, M.D.
Member of Congress Member of Congress
ROBERT BRADY JULIA BROWNLEY
Member of Congress Member of Congress
TONY CARDENAS EMANUEL CLEAVER
Member of Congress Member of Congress
STEVE COHEN JOHN CONYERS, JR.
Member of Congress Member of Congress
SUSAN DAVIS KEITH ELLISON
Member of Congress Member of Congress
LOIS FRANKEL JOHN GARAMENDI
Member of Congress Member of Congress
ALAN GRAYSON BRIAN HIGGINS
Member of Congress Member of Congress
STEVEN HORSFORD RICK LARSEN
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JOHN LEWIS JIM MCDERMOTT
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JAMES MCGOVERN JIM MORAN
Member of Congress Member of Congress
GLORIA NEGRETE MCLEOD DONALD M. PAYNE, JR.
Member of Congress Member of Congress
CHARLES B. RANGEL LUCILLE ROYAL-ALLARD
Member of Congress Member of Congress
LINDA SANCHEZ JOHN P. SARBANES
Member of Congress Member of Congress
ALLYSON SCHWARTZ BOBBY SCOTT
Member of Congress Member of Congress
ALBIO SIRES MIKE THOMPSON
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JOHN F. TIERNEY DINA TITUS
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JUAN VARGAS HENRY WAXMAN
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Pallone Calls for Executive Order to Protect LGBT Workers from Workplace Discrimination
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), along with 47 Senators and 148 Representatives, sent a letter to President Barack Obama calling for an executive order banning federal contractors from discriminating against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees. The letter urges the President to issue this executive order as part of his “year of action” outlined in the State of the Union Address.
“All Americans should be afforded equal protection in the workplace, and I am pleased to join so many of my colleagues in calling for action on the federal level,” said Congressman Pallone. “It is unconscionable that, in 2014, a federal contract worker, paid by American taxpayers, may be fired on the basis of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity without legal recourse. This action by President Obama will send a clear sign that we will not tolerate such discrimination, and must be accompanied by action in the House to finally pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and provide LGBT workers more comprehensive protections.”
Last year, Pallone, along with Congressman Jared Polis (CO-02), led 110 members of Congress in sending a letter to President Barack Obama calling for an executive order prohibiting contractors without sexual orientation and gender identity anti-discrimination policies from receiving federal funds.
“Congressman Pallone’s leadership to protect LGBT workers in federal contracting has been a driving force behind this letter,” said Representative Polis. “The significant growth in support for this executive order could not have escalated so quickly without his commitment to LGBT equality over the years. I look forward to continuing to work with him to ensure contractors who want to do business with the federal government can’t discriminate against LGBT employees.”
Pallone, a long-time advocate for LGBT equality, held a Capitol Hill briefing in 2012 examining the need to require federal contractors to have sexual orientation and gender identity anti-discrimination policies. At that time, Pallone led a letter of 72 members of Congress calling on President Obama to sign an executive order requiring equal protection for LGBT federal contractors.
“Freedom to Work applauds Reps. Frank Pallone, Jared Polis and well over 100 Congressional leaders for speaking out to ensure American taxpayers do not subsidize discriminatory corporations where LGBT employees fear they will get fired for who they are or who they love,”
said Tico Almeida, President of the LGBT organization Freedom to Work. “Mr. Pallone has demonstrated consistent and impressive leadership in our push for fair LGBT workplace policies. It’s now time for President Obama to sign this executive order giving millions of Americans a fair shot to build a career based on their talent and hard work.”
Below is the full text of the letter:
March 18, 2014
The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
We are writing to urge you to fulfill the promise in your State of the Union address to make this a “year of action” and build upon the momentum of 2013 by signing an executive order banning federal contractors from engaging in employment discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans. As you have said before, “now is the time to end this kind of discrimination, not enable it.”
As we continue to work towards final passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) with strong bipartisan support, we urge you to take action now to protection millions of workers across the country from the threat of discrimination simply because of who they are or who they love. We are committed to doing all that we can in Congress to get ENDA to your desk this year; however, there is no reason you cannot immediately act by taking this important step. This executive order would provide LGBT people with another avenue in the federal government they could turn to if they were the victim of employment discrimination by a federal contractor. When combined with ENDA, these non-discrimination protections would parallel those that have been in place for decades on the basis of race, sex and religion.
An executive order covering LGBT employees would be in line with a bipartisan, decades-long commitment to eradicating taxpayer-funded discrimination in the workplace. In 1941, President Roosevelt prohibited discrimination in defense contracts on the bases of race, creed, color, or national origin. In subsequent executive orders, Presidents Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson expanded these protections to ensure that taxpayer dollars are not used to discriminate.
In addition, most of the largest government contractors – companies like Boeing, Raytheon, and Lockheed Martin – have LGBT non-discrimination policies in place. They adopted them because business leaders recognize that discrimination is bad for the bottom line.
Finally, time is of the essence. Even with an executive order in place, full implementation of these protections will require regulations to be developed and finalized, a process that will take many months, if not longer, to fully put in place.
Issuing an executive order prohibiting discrimination against LGBT workers in federal contracts would build on the significant progress for LGBT rights made during your time as President and would further your legacy as a champion for LGBT equality. We urge you to act now to prevent irrational, taxpayer-funded workplace discrimination against LGBT Americans.
Sincerely,
Friday, April 13, 2012
Frank Pallone's Statement on Decision Not To Sign Executive Order Prohibiting LGBT Workplace Discrimination for Federal Contractors
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Frank Pallone issued the following statement today regarding the White House’s decision against signing an executive order that would prohibit federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT workers:
“I’m disappointed that, at this time, the Administration has decided not issue an executive order prohibiting contractors from receiving federal funds unless they have sexual orientation and gender identity anti-discrimination policies in place.
“Nobody should have to work in a hostile work environment where they are discriminated against based on their gender identity or sexual orientation, particularly when their job is being funded by federal dollars. Congress needs to work to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, however, signing an executive order is a step that could be taken now to make sure that federal dollars do not go to contractors without strong policies prohibiting discrimination in the workplace.
“I encourage the Administration to reconsider its position on signing an executive order to protect LGBT employees and I remain committed to working in Congress to make sure that all Americans are free to work without the threat of harassment or discrimination regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation.
“I’m disappointed that, at this time, the Administration has decided not issue an executive order prohibiting contractors from receiving federal funds unless they have sexual orientation and gender identity anti-discrimination policies in place.
“Nobody should have to work in a hostile work environment where they are discriminated against based on their gender identity or sexual orientation, particularly when their job is being funded by federal dollars. Congress needs to work to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, however, signing an executive order is a step that could be taken now to make sure that federal dollars do not go to contractors without strong policies prohibiting discrimination in the workplace.
“I encourage the Administration to reconsider its position on signing an executive order to protect LGBT employees and I remain committed to working in Congress to make sure that all Americans are free to work without the threat of harassment or discrimination regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation.
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