Workplace discrimination laws are constantly changing and evolving with the times. We have heard a lot about transgender rights in the last few years and it appears New York City officials are listening.
The city passed a law back in 2002 that aimed to protect transgender people in the workplace. Transgender is a term used to describe a group of people whose gender identity is different from the sex on their birth certificate. Although the law was passed more than a decade ago, officials never really outlined what they would consider as violations – that is, until now.
The city’s Human Rights Commission says the explanation will make it very clear as to what will be considered discrimination. Some examples include not using a person’s preferred pronoun, not allowing a person to use a gender-appropriate bathroom, and requiring that an employee wear different clothes or a different uniform based on their gender or sex.
Some 75 percent of transgender New Yorkers say they have had to deal with workplace mistreatment or harassment, according to one survey. In New York City alone there are some 25,000 individuals who are gender-nonconforming or transgender. For these individuals, this is a crucial step in the right direction in order to protect their rights in the workplace.
While federal laws have not yet caught up to the needs of transgender persons in the workplace, it is good to see that New York City is leading the way with tough regulations that will hopefully work to protect this group of people.
