In a 6-3 ruling on June 15, the United States Supreme Court ruled that Title VII of the US Civil Rights law covers LGBTQIA+ employees. The ruling, by Justice Gorsuch, states that terminating an employee based upon sexual orientation or for being transgender is a decision made based upon sex and is therefore illegal. This ruling may serve to overturn state-based rulings that allow employers to terminate an employee for these reasons, and employers will need to ensure that they have policies in place quickly to ensure compliance. We stand ready to assist our clients with employee handbooks and employment policies and continue to work with them to ensure compliance with the law.
This is developing and we should all expect additional updates and guidance from the EEOC and other organizations.
