Are sexual orientation and gender identity protected by employment law?

In Texas, the answer is generally no, sexual orientation and gender identity are not protected by employment law. While some cities in Texas have passed ordinances that protect these groups from workplace discrimination, Texas has not officially passed a law that states these groups are protected from discrimination. However, there have been recent efforts to protect these groups from discrimination, such as the United States Supreme Court ruling in June 2020 that employers cannot discriminate against LGBT workers under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This ruling expanded Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to include LGBT workers, and it is now illegal for employers to discriminate against LGBT employees. Despite this progress, the law is still lacking in regard to protecting LGBT employees in Texas. Until Texas officially passes a law that explicitly states that it is illegal to discriminate against employees based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, these groups will still be left unprotected. It is important to note that even though the current law does not protect these groups, employers are discouraged from discriminating against them in their workplace.

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Are sexual orientation and gender identity protected by employment law?

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