APALA Encourages the Passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act
Thursday, September 20, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Malcolm Amado
Uno
Phone: (202) 508-3733
Fax: (202)
508-3716
Email: muno@aflcio.org
Website:
http://apalanet.org/
APALA Encourages the Passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act
APALA
encourages Congress to pass the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a bill that
would prohibit employment discrimination based
on sexual orientation or gender identity. APALA
does not believe that an employer should have
the authority to make employment decisions,
such as hiring, firing, promotion, training or
compensation, based on sexual orientation or
gender identity.
Currently,
20 states have laws that prohibit employers
from firing workers based on their sexual
orientation. An additional 12 states have
laws that protect individuals based on their
gender identity. “APALA finds it
unconscionable that in 31 states, it is legal
to fire someone for being gay, lesbian or
bisexual.
Additionally, we find it disturbing that
in 39 states, it is legal to fire someone
because they are transgender,” said Maria
Somma, President of APALA.
Research has
documented that gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender workers face discrimination in the
workplace. “All Americans deserve to
pursue the American Dream, free from the threat
of employment discrimination, ” stated Gloria
T. Caoile, Executive Director of APALA. APALA
stands side by side with Pride at Work to
demand fair and equal protection under the law
for all workers and to encourage Congress to
pass the Employment Non-Discrimination
Act.
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