NCLR Responds to Supreme Court's Decision to Hear Three Cases about the Rights of LGBT Workers

"A Supreme Court decision reversing these established protections would be catastrophic for LGBT people and disruptive for businesses, who would face a patchwork of conflicting state laws."

(Washington, DC, April 22, 2019) - Today, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear three cases addressing whether Title VII, a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in the workplace, protects LGBT employees.

Statement from NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter:

"The decisions in these cases will shape the legal landscape for LGBT people for decades to come. Over the past twenty years, federal courts have applied Title VII and other federal sex discrimination laws to prohibit discrimination based on a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. Millions of LGBT people now rely on those federal protections, and countless businesses across the country have changed their policies to protect LGBT workers. A Supreme Court decision reversing these established protections would be catastrophic for LGBT people and disruptive for businesses, who would face a patchwork of conflicting state laws.

Today's decision by the Court also underscores the urgency of passing federal and state laws that expressly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, which have overwhelming public support. It is time to add these protections to our nation's laws, to ensure that no person is denied employment, housing or access to public accommodations simply because of who they are."

The cases are: R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v. EEOC and Aimee Stephens, Bostock v. Clayton County, and Altitude Express, Inc. v. Zarda.

The National Center for Lesbian Rights is a national legal organization committed to advancing the human and civil rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education. www.NCLRights.org