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Monday, 23 April 2007 12:37
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 Barney Frank Congressmen Reintroduce ENDA
Bill Would End Workplace Discrimination
by Norm Kent
On Tuesday, April 24, at 1:00 p.m., in the Sam Rayburn Building in Washington, D.C., Reps. Barney Frank,D-Mass.; Deborah Pryce, R-Ohio; Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.; and Chris Shays, R-Conn., will introduce the bipartisan Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The bill addresses discrimination in the workplace by making it illegal to fire, refuse to hire or refuse to promote an employee based on the person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
Many of America's largest businesses have developed policies acknowledging that a person's sexual orientation or gender identity has nothing to do with his or her job performance. In fact, a majority of Fortune 500 companies have already implemented equal workplace protections and policies for their gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender employees.
"However, congressional action is needed because there are still too many places where Americans can be fired simply for being who they are," stated Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank, one of the sponsors.
In 33 states across America, it is still legal to fire someone based on his or her sexual orientation, and in 42 states, it is still legal to fire someone for being transgender. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act would end this workplace discrimination.
Amongst the GLBT leaders attending the April 24, 2007 session will be :Joe Solmonese, President, Human Rights Campaign; Rose Pelles, Director of Civil, Human and Women's Rights, AFL-CIO; and Steven Keyes, Vice President for Compensation, Benefits and Human Resources Policy, Nationwide Insurance.
The status of the bill in the Democratic house is promising for the first time in years, but it is unknown at this time whether it will carry the Senate or be endorsed in its present form by the White House.
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