LGBT-Related Issues Under Title VII Presented by Howard B. Tarkow Maslon LLP March 18, 2015

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP “Because of Sex” Male FemaleYes FemaleMaleYes Same Sex Harassment ? Transgender? LGB? Title VII Prohibits Sex Discrimination

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP “Sex-related, humiliating actions”  Sexual assault  Threatened rape Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Incorporated, 523 U.S. 75 (1998) Same Sex Harassment

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP Justice Scalia: “(S)tatutory prohibitions often go beyond the principal evil to cover reasonably comparable evils, and it is ultimately the provisions of our laws rather than the principal concerns of our legislators by which we are governed.” Oncale, 523 U.S. at 79 Same Sex Discrimination

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP Title VII Prohibits Sex Discrimination Yes Male Female Female Male Same Sex Harassment Transgender LGB ? ? Yes “Because of Sex”

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP EEOC – Transgender Discrimination = Sex Discrimination United State Supreme Court - Non-conformance = “Sex Stereotyping” Socially-prescribed gender roles Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins, 490 U.S. 228 (1989) Transgender (Gender Identity) Discrimination

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins “Coup de grace” “Walk more femininely, talk more femininely, dress more femininely, wear make-up, have her hair styled, and wear jewelry.” 490 U.S. at 235 Transgender (Gender Identity) Discrimination

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP “Impermissible Catch-22” Women – don’t be aggressive Job requires aggressiveness Out if you are Out if you aren’t Transgender (Gender Identity) Discrimination “Title VII lifts women out of this bind.” 490 U.S. at 251

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP Today Courts: “Near-total uniformity” Gender non-conformity = sex discrimination Glenn v. Brumby, 663 F.2d 1312, 1318, n.5 (11th Cir. 2011) Transgender (Gender Identity) Discrimination

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP Glenn v. Brumby  Gender non-conformity discrimination = unconstitutional – denies equal protection  Title VII – Encompasses biological differences  Title VII – Non-conformance to stereotypical norms 663 F.2d at 1316 Transgender (Gender Identity) Discrimination

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP Transgender – EEOC is Litigating

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP EEOC v. R.G & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes, Inc., No. 2:14-cv SFC-DRG (E.D. Mich. Sept. 25, 2014)  Fired because of transgender  Fired because of transitioning  Fired for non-conformance eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release Transgender – EEOC is Litigating

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP EEOC v. Lakeland Eye Clinic, P.A., No. 8:14-cv T35 AEP (M.D. Fla., Sept. 25, 2014)  Fined because of transgender  Fined because of transitioning  Fined for non-conformance eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release Transgender – EEOC is Litigating

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP Title VII Prohibits Sex Discrimination Yes Male Female Female Male Same Sex Harassment Transgender LGB ? Yes ? “Because of Sex”

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP EEOC (2011) Veretto v. Donahoe (U.S. Postal Service), EEOC Appeal No (July 1, 2011)  Same sex marriage  Non-adherence to norms  Sex stereotyping – violates Title VII  Sexual orientation – not unlawful LGB Discrimination

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP EEOC (2014): Title VII prohibits some sexual orientation discrimination  “Black faggot a..”  “Know it all fag”  “Has AIDS”  “__ __ __” (redacted) Muhammad v. Caterpillar, Inc., 767 F.3d 694, 696 (7th Cir. 2014) LGB Discrimination

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP Muhammad v. Caterpillar, Inc.  Sexual orientation discrimination  No Title VII claim  Retaliation – Complaining of such discrimination  No Title VII claim LGB Discrimination

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP EEOC Amicus Brief–Muhammad v. Caterpillar, Inc.  “Untenable” based on Price Waterhouse  Sexual orientation – Title VII discrimination  Sex-based norms  Preferences  Expectations  Stereotype LGB Discrimination

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP  21 states and D.C. protect LGB  18 states and D.C. protect gender identity  88% of Fortune 500 protect LGB  57% of Fortune 500 protect gender identity Other Protections for LGB (as of December 18, 2014)

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP What About Federal Law?

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP  Creates LGBT protected class  Actual discrimination  Perceived discrimination  Prohibits retaliation Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 (“ENDA”)

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP  4/25/13 – House H.R. 1755; Senate S.815  11/7/13 – Passed Senate,  206 House sponsors Thomas.loc.gov ENDA

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., 134 S.Ct (2014)  Closely-held religious corporations  Sincere religious beliefs  Life begins at conception  ACA regulations violate Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 ENDA Abandoned?

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP ENDA Abandoned?

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP  Joint statement withdrawing support of ENDA  Hobby Lobby – “blank check”  Discriminate against LGBT ENDA Abandoned?

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP LGB Protection – Federal Contractors

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP  Amends Executive Order  Federal contractors – no discrimination  Federal employees – gender identity protection  No faith-based exemption dol.gov 7/21/14 LGB Protection – Federal Contractors

© 2014 Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP ©2015 Maslon LLP Title VII Prohibits Sex Discrimination Male Female Female Male Same Sex Harassment Transgender LGB Yes ? No... but “Because of Sex”

Thank you! LGBT-Related Issues Under Title VII