Obama Administration Plans Executive Order Banning Anti-LGBT Employment Discrimination by Federal Contractors: Lambda Legal Looks Forward to Process

(New York, June 16, 2014) - Today, after the White House announced it is directing staff to create language for an executive order banning discrimination against LGBT workers by federal contractors, Greg Nevins, Counsel in Lambda Legal's Southern Regional Office in Atlanta and Lambda Legal's workplace fairness strategist, released the following statement:

"We applaud the Obama administration's step towards protecting LGBT employees of federal contractors. Like many presidents before him, President Obama is taking action to ensure that taxpayer money is not wasted on workplace discrimination or harassment.

"An executive order will provide explicit protection against sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination to 11 million employees who don't have legally-recognized protections now according to a study by the Williams Institute. And it would ensure that there are at least some workplaces in every state with clear, legally binding protections for LGBT Americans.

"From the thousands of calls for help that Lambda Legal gets each year, we know that workplace discrimination is one of the most frequent problems that LGBT people face. Workplace equality has been a top priority for Lambda Legal for more than forty years. We look forward to bringing our expertise about this urgent community need into the conversations with the Obama administration as the executive order is finalized."