Earlier this month, the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs announced final regulations prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT employees based on an Executive Order signed by President Obama.
Brett Coburn, partner in the firm’s Labor & Employment Group, noted that the regulation won’t be a major change for a lot of companies, simply because so many already have internal policies protecting LGBT employees, even though the law doesn’t require it.
Coburn observed that companies that are not religiously affiliated but privately owned by people with certain religious beliefs will have to weigh their options to either give up doing business with the government so they are not subjected to the rule or to challenge the executive order itself.
Coburn also explained that previous attempts for sexual orientation to be included under Title VII weren’t able to pass through the House, contributing to why the president used executive power for the issue.
Brett Coburn, partner in the firm’s Labor & Employment Group, noted that the regulation won’t be a major change for a lot of companies, simply because so many already have internal policies protecting LGBT employees, even though the law doesn’t require it.
Coburn observed that companies that are not religiously affiliated but privately owned by people with certain religious beliefs will have to weigh their options to either give up doing business with the government so they are not subjected to the rule or to challenge the executive order itself.
Coburn also explained that previous attempts for sexual orientation to be included under Title VII weren’t able to pass through the House, contributing to why the president used executive power for the issue.