In order to do business with cities like Indianapolis, local municipalities are considering implementing ordinances that would prohibit sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination among city contractors and such provisions would also address harassment. A study has shown that such ordinances do not in any way burden business or government and would also protect millions of workers from facing inhospitable conditions at work.
Most states still do not have provisions concerning such discrimination. There is also no federal legislation that is on point. However, the results of this study emphasize that this type of legislation may well be in order.
There has been little resistance by contractors to policies preventing sexual orientation and gender discrimination. Of note is that localities that did implement such policies also noted that complaints concerning such discrimination and harassment disappeared.
If such discrimination and harassment is continued to be allowed in government contracting jobs, it would also be much more difficult to eliminate it at a private level. Concerning employment practices, private employers will look to government employers as an example.
Unfortunately, whatever legislation is proposed will not make such harassment disappear. Until such discrimination does go away, there will continue to be lawsuits brought by attorneys and their clients against the perpetrators of such practices.
Few of us are lucky enough to have the option of quitting a job as most fulltime workers spend more than 2,000 hours a year at the workplace. The above study suggests that it would be in the employer’s best interest to make accommodate every worker and provide a work environment free of harassment.
Source: Windy City Media Group, “Study: Govt. contractor non-bias ordinances don’t hurt business,” Feb. 15, 2012
