FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NGLCC Contact:
Kate Karasmeighan
202.234.9181
kkarasmeighan@nglcc.org
NGLCC Leadership Applauds Lawmakers for Introducing a Fully Inclusive ENDA
(Washington, DC) June 24, 2009 – Today, leadership of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce® applauded lawmakers for introducing a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) that would protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees from workplace discrimination. The bill, which enjoys bi-partisan support in Congress, would add sexual orientation and gender identity to existing federal employment non-discrimination laws.
“We send our most sincere thanks to Chairman Barney Frank and the other sponsors of this bill for their leadership. If passed, ENDA would be a tremendous victory for the LGBT equal rights movement,” said Justin Nelson, NGLCC co-founder and President.
Currently, 12 states and more than 100 localities have enacted LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination protections, covering nearly 40 percent of Americans. And, according to numerous surveys, large majorities of likely voters in the U.S. support federal employment non-discrimination laws to protect LGBT people. Polling data from 2006 shows that voters are more likely to support, rather than vote against, a candidate who votes for an LGBT non-discrimination law.
“The passage of this bill would create job security equal to our colleagues’ in the workplace—a right that has taken on even more significance in the current economic crisis. We urge our members to reach out to their representatives and senators to encourage their support of a fully inclusive ENDA and to ensure their elected officials understand that sexual orientation and gender identity are of equal importance to race, gender, national origin, and disability, which are already covered under federal non-discrimination laws,” said NGLCC co-founder and CEO Chance Mitchell.
Many businesses in the United States have already set standards of fairness for their LGBT employees by including them in their own non-discrimination policies. However, federal legislation would protect all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the workforce from discriminatory hiring, firing, promotion or compensation practices, as well as retaliation for reporting such practices.
The NGLCC has once again partnered with the Human Rights Campaign on the Business Coalition for Workplace Fairness, which encourages the support of the business community – from institutions large and small - for ENDA. Those interested in joining the coalition should contact Chief of Staff Kate Karasmeighan (kkarasmeighan@nglcc.org, 202-234-9181) for details.
About the NGLCC:
The NGLCC is the business advocate and direct link between LGBT business owners, corporations, and government. The NGLCC was founded as the exclusive organization for certification of LGBT owned businesses, and works to foster mutually beneficial opportunities for small businesses and corporate members. As the umbrella organization for 47 local, state and international LGBT chambers of commerce affiliates, the NGLCC is the largest LGBT business advocacy and development organization in the world.
