What Happened to ENDA? Karen Ocamb Wed, February 22, 2012 9:00 PM UTC Karen Ocamb Rate Loading ... Share Pin It Click on the photo to read the full story at Karen Ocamb Karen Ocamb What Happened to ENDA? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/BilericoProject/~3/v_eNkBFQGAA/what_happened_to_enda.php The Williams Institute's Executive Director Brad Sears and Distinguished Scholar Gary Gates (Photo by Karen Ocamb) The issue of marriage rights for same sex couples has dominated our national conversation since Karl Rove used antigay initiatives to drive evangelicals to the ballot box for George W. Bush's re-election in 2004. The Prop 8 wars and the recent victories and ballot referendums in a number of states since then have lead many to believe that marriage equality is the top priority for LGBT people. The reality is that the top priority for many LGBT Americans is finding and securing a job, especially one with discrimination protections based on gender identity, as well as sexual orientation. The question about the status of the languishing Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) surfaced in early January when the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) won a $155,000 settlement against DynCorp International LLC, a military contractor and aircraft maintenance company, based in a sex-based workplace discrimination case. After considerable pressure lead by Tico Almeida, a civil rights attorney and founder of Freedom to Work who started the petition signed by 50,000 people on Change.org , DynCorp added sexual orientation and gender identity to its workplace non-discrimination policies. "It's terrific that DynCorp has moved to protect its LGBT employees, but let's also remember that dozens of other government contractors do not protect their workers from anti-LGBT harassment and discrimination," Almeida said in a press release. "An executive order outlawing discrimination at federal contractors on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is sitting at the White House. President Obama should take this opportunity, in the wake of DynCorp's decision, to make sure that no government contractor uses taxpayer money to fund anti-LGBT harassment or discrimination." The news that an ENDA-like bill was "sitting at the White House" prompted a new petition to Obama – and a number of stories: I criticized Obama for not including the need for ENDA in his State of the Union address; Chris Geidner at Metro Weekly wrote “ From Partner Benefits to Affirmative Action, Proposed Contractor Executive Order Specifics Discussed ;” and The Williams Institute's M.V. Lee Badgett wrote an op-ed for the New York Times: " What Obama Should Do About Workplace Discrimination ." Wednesday night, Feb. 22, from 6:15-8:00pm The Williams Institute and the City of West Hollywood are presenting an important panel discussion on the topic: "What Happened to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)” in the Community Room at the New West Hollywood Library, 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. (Free validated parking at the parking structure on El Tovar Place off Robertson Boulevard in between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Blvd). Continue reading "What Happened to ENDA?"... Read the full story on the original site Karen Ocamb Add a comment Report inappropriate content
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