In June 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court finally made clear that federal law prohibits employers from discriminating against employees due to sexual orientation or transgender status. In 2023, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission implemented a regulation clarifing that sex discrimination under PA law includes discrimination on the basis of "sex assigned at birth, gender identity or expression, differences in sex development and affectional or sexual orientation." The City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and several other municipalities have also banned employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. This includes failing to hire, firing, or harassing employees because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, intersex, or otherwise fail to conform to the stereotypes of traditional heterosexuality.
You may have heard of recent attacks on the LGBTQ community by the current EEOC Chair. But your rights are safe! Federal law still protects sexual orientation and gender identity, as do the state and local laws referenced above.
Elzer Law Firm has represented members of the LGBTQIA+ community in numerous types of cases, including in sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination cases. Regardless of what type of case you have, we will respect your gender identity, your sexual orientation, and your pronouns. If you believe you have been discriminated against at work because of your actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression,contact us today for a consultation.