© 2024 WFAE
90.7 Charlotte 93.7 Southern Pines 90.3 Hickory 106.1 Laurinburg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Charlotte Talks: LGBT Rights In The Workplace

Flickr / Mitchell Haindfield

Thursday, August 3, 2017

LGBT rights are back in the news with President Trump's desire to ban transgender military members and his Justice Department saying federal law doesn't protect gays on the job. Mike Collins is joined by employment and civil rights law experts.

The culture war of LGBT rights – a battle North Carolina is familiar with – has resurfaced with back-to-back moves by the Trump administration, beginning with an abrupt decision to reinstate a ban on transgender military members, followed by a Justice Department court filing that argued federal civil rights law does not protect gay employees from on-the-job discrimination.

It’s yet another reversal from the Obama era, during which discrimination law was gradually expanded to include sexual orientation.

Federal courts have ruled the 1964 Civil Rights Act does not cover discrimination based on sexual orientation, but this spring, an appeals court ruled the law does in fact afford such protection. That has set up a possible trip to the U.S. Supreme Court for a resolution to the debate.

Experts in employment and civil rights law join Mike Collins for a discussion on LGBT rights in the workplace.

GUESTS

Selisse Berry, founder and CEO, Out and Equal

Kenny Colbert, president, The Employers Association

Luke Largess, partner, Tin Fulton Walker & Owen

Ted Shaw, director, UNC Center for Civil Rights; Julius Chambers Distinguished Professor of Law, UNC School of Law

Stay Connected