There has been much unease among many minorities in the United States during President Donald Trump’s first month in office. With campaign pledges to remove many of President Obama’s executive actions, many Americans feel that their rights may be violated. For the LGBTQ community, this was also a factor, as weeks ago there were rumors of drafts going through the White House that may affect their rights. The LGBTQ may now give a collective short sigh of relief, as the administration announced that it would not remove President Obama’s executive order from 2014 which protected employees working for federal contractors from anti-LGBTQ workplace discrimination.
The administration also praised Trump’s stance on protecting all Americans, reminding people that his acceptance speech was the only GOP speech to acknowledge the LBGTQ community and their rights.
Although this comes as good news for many workers throughout the country, a few remained skeptical, including the president of the Human Rights Campaign, who questioned whether the current administration would commit to other executive actions that would allow other employers and organizations to discriminate.
It remains to be seen whether Trump’s presidency will help or hinder employee protections and prevent workplace discrimination. There are still many local, state and federal laws in order to protect workers from discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, age, country of origin, religious beliefs and disabilities. It will be important for the LGBTQ community to stay mindful of possible new laws or changes to existing laws. If you are uncertain whether your rights have been violated, reaching out and learning about workplace discrimination laws may prove beneficial.
Source: USA Today, “Trump to keep Obama executive order for LGBTQ workplace protections,” By David Jackson, Jan. 31, 2017