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S. HRG. 112–915 

EQUALITY AT WORK: THE EMPLOYMENT 

NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT 

HEARING 

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, 

LABOR, AND PENSIONS 

UNITED STATES SENATE 

ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS 

SECOND SESSION 

ON

EXAMINING EQUALITY AT WORK, INCLUDING S. 811, TO PROHIBIT EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY 

JUNE 12, 2012 

Printed for the use of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

( 

Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/ 
COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS 

TOM HARKIN, Iowa, Chairman 

BARBARA A. MIKULSKI, Maryland 

JEFF BINGAMAN, New Mexico 

PATTY MURRAY, Washington 

BERNARD SANDERS (I), Vermont 

ROBERT P. CASEY, JR., Pennsylvania 

KAY R. HAGAN, North Carolina 

JEFF MERKLEY, Oregon 

AL FRANKEN, Minnesota 

MICHAEL F. BENNET, Colorado 

SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island 

RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut 

MICHAEL B. ENZI, Wyoming 

LAMAR ALEXANDER, Tennessee 

RICHARD BURR, North Carolina 

JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia 

RAND PAUL, Kentucky 

ORRIN G. HATCH, Utah 

JOHN MCCAIN, Arizona 

PAT ROBERTS, Kansas 

LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska 

MARK KIRK, Illinois 

PAMELA J. SMITH, Staff Director, Chief Counsel 

LAUREN MCFERRAN, Deputy Staff Director 

FRANK MACCHIAROLA, Republican Staff Director and Chief Counsel 

(II) 
C O N T E N T S 

STATEMENTS 

TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 2012 

Page 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Harkin, Hon. Tom, Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 

Pensions, opening statement ............................................................................... 1 

Merkley, Hon. Jeff, a U.S. Senator from the State of Oregon ............................. 2 

Franken, Hon. Al, a U.S. Senator from the State of Minnesota .......................... 37 

Murray, Hon. Patty, a U.S. Senator from the State of Washington ................... 39 

WITNESSES

Badgett, M.V. Lee, Research Director of the Williams Institute for Sexual 

Orientation Law and Public Policy at UCLA, and Director of the Center 

for Public Policy and Administration at the University of Massachusetts 

Amherst, Amherst, MA ........................................................................................ 6 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 8 

Broadus, Kylar W., Founder, Trans People of Color Coalition, Columbia, 

MO ......................................................................................................................... 11 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 13 

Bagenstos, Samuel R., Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School, 

Ann Arbor, MI ...................................................................................................... 15 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 17 

Charles, Kenneth, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, General Mills, 

Inc., Minneapolis, MN ......................................................................................... 20 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 23 

Parshall, Craig L., Senior Vice President and General Counsel, National 

Religious Broadcasters Association, Manassas, VA .......................................... 25 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 27 

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL 

Statements, articles, publications, letters, etc.: 

Senator Collins ................................................................................................. 4 

Senator Casey ................................................................................................... 48 

Senator Kirk ..................................................................................................... 48 

Camille A. Olson, Seyfarth Shaw LLP ........................................................... 49 

Human Rights Campaign®, Chad Griffin, President .................................... 58 

Log Cabin Republicans ..................................................................................... 60 

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund, Rea Carey, Executive 

Director .......................................................................................................... 61 

Transgender Law Center, Masen Davis, Executive Director ........................ 73 

Letters of support: 

Human Rights Campaign® ...................................................................... 76 

Interfaith Alliance ..................................................................................... 77 

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights ...................... 78 

Religious Organizations in Support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) (S. 811) ................................................................... 79 

(III) 
Page

IV 

Statements, articles, publications, letters, etc.—Continued 

—Continued 

Response to questions of Senator Casey by: 

Kylar W. Broadus ...................................................................................... 80 

Kenneth Charles ........................................................................................ 80 

Response to questions of Senator Franken by Craig L. Parshall ................. 80 
(1) 

EQUALITY AT WORK: THE EMPLOYMENT 

NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT 

TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 2012 

U.S. SENATE, 

COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS, 

Washington, DC. 

The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:05 a.m. in room 

SD–106, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Tom Harkin, chairman of the committee, presiding. 

Present: Senators Harkin, Murray, Casey, Merkley, Franken, 

and Bennet. 

OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR HARKIN

The CHAIRMAN. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, 

Labor, and Pensions will come to order. 

I want to welcome everyone today. In our committee today, we 

will hear testimony on a very important civil rights legislation, the 

Employment Non-Discrimination Act, also known as ENDA. 

The issue here could not be simpler or more straightforward. It 

is long past time to eliminate bigotry in the workplace, and to ensure equal opportunity for all Americans. It is time to make clear 

that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans are first 

class citizens. They are full and welcome members of our American 

family, and they deserve the same civil rights protections as all 

other Americans. 

The fact is, over the last 45 years, we have made great strides 

in America toward eliminating discrimination in the workplace. 

Our country is a far better place because of laws against discrimination in the workplace based on race, sex, national origin, religion, age, and disability, among others. It is time, at long last, for 

us to also prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation 

and gender identity. Such discrimination is wrong and should not 

be tolerated. 

As we will hear today, many States and businesses are already 

leading the way by demonstrating that full equality is not only the 

right thing to do, but it benefits all. However, the harsh reality is 

that employers in most States can still fire, refuse to hire, or otherwise discriminate against individuals because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and shockingly, they can do so within 

the law. 

Too many hardworking Americans, whether employed by private 

companies or by public entities, are being judged not by their talent, their ability, and their qualifications, but by their sexual ori-
2 

entation or gender identity. Too many of our fellow citizens are 

being judged not by what they can contribute to a company, but by 

who they are or whom they choose to love. Unfortunately, we can 

cite countless cases of bigotry and blatant job discrimination based 

on sexual orientation or gender identity. Decent, hardworking 

Americans are being hurt by discrimination every day. 

Qualified workers should not be turned away or have to fear losing their livelihood for reasons that have nothing to do with their 

qualifications, their skills, or their performance. Such practices are 

un-American and they should not be permitted in our workplaces. 

I want to publicly thank Senator Merkley, Senator Kirk, and 

many others for introducing a fully inclusive Employment 

Non-Discrimination Act. 

This bill is not complex. It makes clear that private businesses, 

public employers, and labor unions cannot make employment decisions—hiring, firing, promotion, or compensation—because of a person’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. It 

contains exemptions for small businesses and religious organizations, and current rules applicable to the armed forces are not affected. The bill expressly prohibits disparate impact claims. 

As we will hear today, this legislation follows in the footsteps of 

our existing civil rights laws. Just as debates leading to passage of 

those earlier civil rights bills, we are hearing claims today that 

ENDA will lead to a flood of lawsuits, or be an undue burden on 

religious organizations or businesses. I think these claims are baseless. Indeed, we are pleased to have broad bipartisan support for 

this bill, as well as the endorsement of civil rights organizations, 

countless businesses, and religious leaders. 

We are talking about a fundamental American value, equal 

treatment for all, the principle that no citizen in our country 

should be discriminated against. 

I am proud that in the last congress, this committee held a hearing on this important bill. We are doing so again today, and I look 

forward to working with all of my colleagues to advance this long 

overdue legislation. 

I will leave the record open for a statement by Senator Enzi. 

The CHAIRMAN. I want to recognize Senator Merkley, who is the 

lead sponsor of this bill. He has requested an opportunity for an 

opening statement, and since he is the lead sponsor, I will, thus, 

recognize him for that. 

Senator Merkley. 

STATEMENT OF SENATOR MERKLEY

Senator MERKLEY. Thank you. Thank you, Chairman Harkin. 

I really appreciate your holding a hearing on this issue, which 

is so critical for LGBT Americans. 

A big thanks, also, goes to my chief co-sponsor, Senator Kirk 

who, unfortunately, cannot be here with us today. I think we are 

all together in wishing him a speedy recovery. In his absence, I 

want to take a moment to note the tremendous leadership he has 

shown on these issues, both in the House of Representatives and 

now as a member of the U.S. Senate. 

I also want to recognize the indispensable role that the late Senator Ted Kennedy played on this issue. It was an honor when he 
3 

asked me to step-in to continue to lead this fight. I have been 

pleased to do so over the last 4 years, and I hope that soon, in the 

future, we will be talking about this battle in a historical context 

having brought equality of opportunity to all Americans. 

At its core, employment discrimination is a matter of fundamental fairness. Being able to make a living and do so without fear 

of discrimination goes right to the heart of life, liberty, and the 

pursuit of happiness. Unfortunately, the majority of our States 

have no protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual 

orientation or gender identity. At the same time, a very large percentage of LGBT Americans are discriminated against in the workplace, as you will hear from one of our witnesses today. 

It is time to expand fundamental fairness to all Americans, and 

that is exactly what this bill does. Quite simply, ENDA extends the 

exact, same Federal protections that already exist for race, religion, 

sex, national origin, age, and disability. It is the fair thing to do. 

It is the right thing to do, and it is good for business as well. 

Many employers have already endorsed this change. You will 

hear from one long time leader in the business community today, 

General Mills, about its support for these nondiscrimination policies. I look forward to that testimony. 

In addition to the businesses represented here today, one of the 

largest employers in my home State of Oregon, Nike, has been a 

vocal proponent of this bill, and I would like to enter a few of their 

comments into the record. In their words, ‘‘ENDA is good for business, good for our employees, and our communities.’’ They continue 

that inclusive, nondiscrimination policies, 

‘‘Enable us to attract and retain the best and brightest people around the world. Why would we not want to do everything 

we can to help our businesses compete, especially when it also 

results in fair treatment, in equality, and in opportunity for 

our workers? It is a win-win.’’ 

This is not, nor should it be, a democratic or republican issue. 

I am thrilled to be joined by Senator Kirk on this bill, in addition 

to Senator Collins and Senator Snowe as sponsors, co-sponsors. 

In Oregon, in 2007, I led the effort to put these protections into 

State law, and there are a lot of things that our red counties and 

our blue counties do not always agree on. But this is one issue 

where, from border to border, I hear the same thing: it is a matter 

of fundamental fairness. It is who we are as Americans. 

And I can tell you that in over 140 town halls that I have held 

since becoming a Senator, I have never had a business member or 

a member of the religious community come to a town hall and say 

we did the wrong thing in expanding fairness and equality of opportunity in employment to all Oregonians. I think this same response will be true when we get this done for the United States 

of America as a whole. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Senator Merkley. 

Also, Senator Collins, who is not a member of the committee, 

asked if she could put a statement, in support of the bill. She is 

a lead sponsor, along with Senator Merkley and Senator Kirk. And 

so, I would ask that her statement be inserted at this point in the 

record. 
4 

[The information referred to follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF SENATOR COLLINS

Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank you and Ranking Member 

Enzi for holding this hearing today on S. 811: the Employment 

Non-Discrimination Act. I am pleased to be an original cosponsor 

of this important legislation which will affirm the principle that individuals should be judged on their skills and abilities, and not by 

who they are. 

All Americans deserve a fair opportunity to pursue the American 

dream. Over the years, we have rightly taken a stand against 

workplace discrimination based on race, sex, national origin, religion, age and disability. Today it is time for us to ensure that all 

workers are judged on their talents, abilities and capabilities free 

from prejudice by closing an important gap in Federal law. 

The right to work is a fundamental one. How can we in good conscience deny that right to someone for no other reason than their 

sexual orientation or gender identity? Especially in today’s economy, job security has taken on a renewed importance to all Americans. How can we tell one segment of Americans that they are not 

entitled to that security because of whom they love? 

The concept is neither novel nor revolutionary. Much of corporate 

America has already embraced LGBT protections in order to take 

full advantage of the most talented employees. Some 86 percent of 

the Fortune 500 companies extend protections based on sexual orientation, and 50 percent extend protections based on gender identity. 

In addition, our bill is similar to the current law in several 

States, including Maine. 

But despite these advances, it still remains legal in 29 States to 

fire or refuse to hire someone for being lesbian, gay or bisexual. At 

too many companies, high-performing LGBT employees can be and 

are still openly discriminated against. 

Mr. Chairman, I am proud to have been a champion of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act since 2002. It is a commonsense 

solution, consistent with existing Federal civil rights laws, that 

would not create an undue burden on American businesses. Moreover, it’s the moral thing to do, the right thing to do, and the equitable thing to do. 

Thank you for moving forward with this important legislation. 

The CHAIRMAN. And now, we will go to our panel. We have a distinguished panel today. I will run through the introductions, and 

then we will go from left to right. 

First is Dr. Lee Badgett, a research director at the Williams Institute for Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at UCLA, also 

the director of the Center for Public Policy and Administration at 

the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she is a professor 

of economics. 

Next, Mr. Kylar Broadus. Did I pronounce that right, Broadus? 

Broadus. Kylar Broadus is an attorney and associate professor of 

law at Lincoln University in Missouri. He is the founder of Trans 

People of Color Coalition. 
5 

Next, Mr. Sam Bagenstos, I think I have that right now, a professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School. He has 

served as a law clerk to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and was on 

the faculty at Harvard Law School. Most recently served as the 

Principal Deputy Attorney General for Civil Rights in the Justice 

Department, the No. 2 official in the Civil Rights Division of the 

Justice Department. 

Next, I am going to yield to my colleague from Minnesota for 

purposes of introduction. 

Senator FRANKEN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

I am honored to have the opportunity to welcome Ken Charles. 

Mr. Charles is the vice president of Global Diversity and Inclusion 

for General Mills, where he has been employed since 2000. I am 

proud to say that General Mills has its roots in Minnesota that go 

back 150 years, and currently employs 35,000 Minnesotans. 

Those workers, along with the other 21⁄2 million people that show 

up to work every day in Minnesota, already have the legal protections that ENDA would extend to workers across the country, and 

everything seems to be fine. 

Ken, I am so happy you could be here today to share with the 

committee how General Mills’ policy of inclusion has contributed to 

your company’s innovation and growth. An impressive 94 percent 

of your employees say that General Mills provides a working environment that is accepting of differences in background and lifestyle. I grew up a couple of miles from the campus, from your headquarters and the beautiful campus. I always admired it and enjoy, 

as you know, Cheerios and Wheaties. 

I have had the opportunity to visit many of your workers in Minnesota, and it is apparent that General Mills makes their wellbeing a top priority. General Mills can serve as a model for every 

company. It is days like today that I am particularly proud to be 

a Minnesotan. 

Thank you, again, for your testimony at today’s hearing. 

Mr. Chairman. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Senator Franken. 

Then we have Mr. Craig Parshall. Mr. Parshall is senior vice 

president and general counsel of the National Religious Broadcasters Association. He is an attorney and has practiced First 

Amendment law and employment law, representing clients in, 

among other courts, the Supreme Court. I just recognized, Mr. 

Parshall, this is your second appearance here. He was at our last 

hearing 2 years ago, and we welcome you back. 

With that, I will just say that all of your statements, which I 

read last night, are very good, and I will ask permission that they 

all be inserted in the record in their entirety. 

We will go from left to right. If you could sum up in 5 to 7 minutes, then we can get into a discussion, I would appreciate it. 

Ms. Badgett, we will start with you. Welcome, and please proceed. 
6 

STATEMENT OF M.V. LEE BADGETT, RESEARCH DIRECTOR OF 

THE WILLIAMS INSTITUTE FOR SEXUAL ORIENTATION LAW 

AND PUBLIC POLICY AT UCLA, AND DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION AT THE 

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST, AMHERST, MA 

Ms. BADGETT. Good morning, Senator Harkin and members of 

the committee. 

Today I will just summarize three basic points in my written testimony that will document the need for the Employment 

Non-Discrimination Act. 

My first point is that employment discrimination against lesbian, 

gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans, whom I’ll just call 

LGBT Americans, occurs in workplaces all across the country. 

Jacqueline Gill was a temporary instructor at a community college in Texas. She is also a lesbian. When permanent jobs opened 

up in 2010, she was not allowed to interview for those positions 

even though she had received praise from students, from her colleagues, and from parents of her students. 

Several of her colleagues, who were equally qualified, or actually 

less qualified, were allowed to interview and were hired whereas 

Ms. Gill was not. She was also harassed because of her sexual orientation. Her supervisor told her at one point that Texas and 

Tarrant County do not like homosexuals. 

Vandy Beth Glenn was fired in 2007 from her job with the Georgia General Assembly because she is transgender. Before he fired 

her, Glenn’s direct supervisor told her that her gender expression 

was unnatural and unsettling, and he later fired her on the 

grounds that her gender transition was inappropriate and would 

make other workers there feel uncomfortable. 

Ronald Crump is a gay man who was a Los Angeles police department sergeant. His supervisor verbally harassed him on a 

number of occasions because Crump is gay, comparing him to one 

of the women in the department, ‘‘Minus the heels,’’ and other derogatory comments. When Crump filed an internal complaint, he 

was transferred from a very prestigious position to a much less favorable one. 

We now have decades of social science research that tell us that 

those stories, which are just a sample of many, are repeated in 

workplaces all across America. In 2008, the General Social Survey 

found that 42 percent of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people had experienced employment discrimination because of their sexual orientation at some point in their lives, and 27 percent of those had 

actually experienced that just in the last 5 years. So it is common 

and it is recent. 

In the largest survey of transgender people to date, 47 percent 

of respondents had experienced discrimination in hiring and promotion or in job retention. 

In 2008, my colleagues and I studied the complaints filed by LGB 

people in the States that outlaw sexual orientation discrimination. 

I will just say the numbers of those complaints were actually relatively small compared to the overall numbers of complaints filed 

at those State agencies each year. But when we adjusted those 

counts to take into account the different population sizes of the protected groups, what we found was that lesbian, gay, and bisexual 
7 

people file complaints at roughly the same rate that women and 

people of color do suggesting that discrimination is roughly similar 

in terms of its frequency. 

Two recent studies actually provide a very vivid picture of discrimination. Sociologist Andras Tilcsik sent out pairs of resume ́s of 

recent college graduates for job openings for white collar entry level 

positions in seven different States. He coded one of the resumes as 

gay by saying that this person had been the treasurer of the campus gay organization, and the other one he left as just a volunteer 

position at some other non-gay organization. He sent them both out 

to the employers, and the differential treatment of the gay applicants was very clear. To just give you a perspective on that, to get 

an interview for a job a gay applicant had to apply for 14 jobs, 

whereas the heterosexual applicant only had to apply for 9 jobs to 

get an interview. 

Another study sent actual applicants, one transgender and one 

non-transgender, to apply for 24 jobs in the retail sector in New 

York City. In half of those jobs, 12 out of 24, half of those employers, the non-transgender applicant actually got a job offer, and only 

2 of those 24 employers did the transgender applicant receive a job 

offer, and that is a very high degree of discrimination. 

Two decades of research also suggested this kind of discrimination has important economic harms, in particular, for gay and bisexual men. Depending on the study, gay and bisexual men earn 

from 10 percent to 33 percent less than similarly qualified heterosexual men, most likely because of discrimination. Transgender 

people also have very low incomes. The National Transgender Survey found that 15 percent of their respondents had incomes under 

$10,000 per year, and that is a very low income; 15 percent of the 

transgender respondents, whereas in the population as a whole, it 

is only about 4 percent with such low incomes. 

The last thing I will say about the evidence of discrimination is 

that it includes both private sector employees and employees of 

State and local governments. My Williams Institute colleagues 

have found exactly the same widespread and persistent pattern of 

discrimination against LGBT people who work for State governments as we see for private sector employers. 

My next two points I will make much more briefly. The second 

one is that non-discrimination laws like ENDA are likely to reduce 

discrimination. Some of this recent research suggests that both a 

pay grab shrink and the differential treatment of gay applicants is 

less in States that have such laws, so that makes me think that 

ENDA could play a very important role in reducing that discrimination as well. 

My third and last point, that I know you will hear more about, 

is that the evidence shows the employers would also benefit if 

ENDA were passed. It is not just the LGBT employees. We have 

long known that businesses are most successful when they recruit, 

hire, and retain employees based on what they can do, not who 

they are, as Senator Harkin mentioned. That is one reason why 86 

percent of Fortune 500 companies have bans on sexual orientation 

discrimination and half of the Fortune 500 now have a policy of 

nondiscrimination based on gender identity. 
8 

And studies also suggest that ENDA will lead to healthier and 

more productive workers if they have legal protection from discrimination. 

So just to sum up very briefly, the research overwhelmingly demonstrates both the Employment Non-Discrimination Act is necessary in order to fight discrimination, and would benefit both employees and employers. 

Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Ms. Badgett follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF M.V. LEE BADGETT

SUMMARY

S. 811, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, would outlaw discrimination in 

hiring and other employment decisions based on sexual orientation and gender identity. I will use recent and ongoing research to document the clear need for this legislation. 

First, several decades of social science research have demonstrated that employment discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans occurs in workplaces all across the country. This evidence comes from many 

different methods of studying discrimination, including self-reported experiences, official complaints of discrimination in States that already ban it, experiments to 

measure the treatment of LGBT job applicants, and comparisons of wages earned 

by LGBT people and heterosexual people. The evidence includes discrimination in 

both private sector employment and public employment in State and local governments. 

Second, nondiscrimination laws like ENDA are likely to reduce discrimination. 

Some recent evidence suggests that State laws banning discrimination have been effective in reducing wage gaps and employment discrimination against LGB people, 

in particular. 

Third, evidence suggests that employers would also benefit if ENDA were passed, 

since LGBT workers will be healthier and more productive workers if they have 

legal protection from discrimination. 

Good morning, Senator Harkin and members of the committee. I am an economist 

and director of the Center for Public Policy and Administration at the University 

of Massachusetts Amherst, and I’m also the research director of the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at UCLA. I have studied employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, race, and gender for more than 20 

years and have published two books and numerous studies on this topic. 

Today I am here to speak to you about S. 811, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2011. As you know, this bill would outlaw discrimination in hiring and 

other employment decisions based on sexual orientation and gender identity. I will 

use recent and ongoing research to make three main points to document the clear 

need for this legislation. 

First, several decades of social science research have demonstrated that employment discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans occurs in workplaces all across the country. This evidence comes from many 

different methods of studying discrimination, including self-reported experiences on 

surveys, official complaints of discrimination in States that already ban it, experiments to measure the treatment of LGBT job applicants, and comparisons of wages 

earned by LGBT people and heterosexual people. Together these sources provide 

ample evidence that employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and 

gender identity is a serious problem in the United States. 

For several decades, academic researchers have surveyed LGBT people about 

their workplace experiences. Those surveys reveal numerous experiences of being 

fired, being denied a job, or some other form of unequal treatment in the workforce 

that stemmed from these individuals’ sexual orientation or gender identity. Most recently, the 2008 General Social Survey found that 42 percent of a national random 

sample of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people had experienced at least one form of employment discrimination because of their sexual orientation at some point in their 

lives. In addition 27 percent had experienced employment discrimination during the 

5 years prior to the survey. That figure includes both employees who have disclosed 

their sexual orientation in the workplace and those who have not. 
9 

Findings from recent surveys of transgender employees confirm similar and even 

more common experiences of discrimination. For example, in the largest survey of 

transgender people to date, 78 percent of respondents reported experiencing at least 

one form of harassment or mistreatment at work because of their gender identity. 

More specifically, 47 percent had been discriminated against in hiring, promotion, 

or job retention. 

A different source of data supports the finding that discrimination based on sexual orientation is common, and perhaps as common as other kinds of discrimination, 

relative to population size. My colleagues and I collected the numbers of sexual orientation discrimination complaints in States that outlawed such treatment from 

1999–2007. The number of complaints in each State is relatively small compared 

with the overall level of complaints filed at State agencies. But once we adjust for 

the population size of the different protected groups, we see that LGB people are 

as likely to file complaints as women and people of color. The annual rate of complaints was 4.7 per 10,000 LGB people on average in these States (assuming that 

LGB people are 4.1 percent of the U.S. population). That figure is quite similar to 

the number of sex discrimination complaints per woman (5.4 per 10,000 women) and 

race-related complaints per person of color (6.5 per 10,000). In other words, LGB 

people are about as likely to file discrimination complaints as are people in groups 

that are currently protected against discrimination under Federal law. 

We see particularly compelling evidence of discrimination in two recent studies 

that tested employers’ responses to a pair of identically qualified applicants differing 

only by sexual orientation or gender identity. Sociologist Andras Tilcsik sent out 

pairs of fictional resume ́s in response to ads for entry-level positions in seven States, 

with one resume ́ indicating volunteer work as treasurer of a gay campus organization and the other including volunteer work at a non-gay organization. The differential treatment of gay applicants was clear. Of the gay-coded applicants, only 7.2 percent were offered an interview, while 11.5 percent of the non-gay-coded applicants 

were invited to an interview. To get a job interview, a gay applicant had to apply 

to 14 jobs, while the average heterosexual applicant only had to apply for 9 jobs to 

get an interview. 

Another study sent pairs of actual applicants, one transgender and one not, to 

apply for jobs in the retail sector in New York City. In 11 out of 24 applications 

(46 percent), the non-transgender applicant but not the transgender applicant received a job offer. Only 1 out of 24 (4 percent) resulted in the transgender applicant 

being offered the job while the non-transgender applicant was not—a 42 percent net 

rate of discrimination. 

An additional way that economists and sociologists look for evidence of discrimination is to compare the earnings of people who have different personal characteristics, such as sexual orientation, but the same productive characteristics. If there is 

a wage difference after controlling for all of the factors that we reasonably expect 

to influence wages, such as education and experience, then most of us would conclude that discrimination is likely the reason for the wage gap for the disadvantaged 

group. 

Across two decades of research, studies show a significant pay gap for gay or bisexual men when compared to heterosexual men who have the same productive 

characteristics. Depending on the study, gay and bisexual men earn from 10 percent 

to 32 percent less than similarly qualified heterosexual men. Lesbians generally 

earn the same as or more than heterosexual women, but lesbians earn less than either heterosexual or gay men. We have no comparable studies for gender identity, 

but the National Transgender Discrimination Survey found that 15 percent of respondents had incomes under $10,000 per year, while the general population figure 

for that income level was 4 percent at the time of the survey. 

Also, it’s important to note that the evidence of discrimination discussed here includes both private sector employees and employees of State and local governments. 

When my Williams Institute colleagues compared reports of discrimination, complaints of discrimination, and the wage impact of discrimination between the public 

and private sector, they found the same patterns of employment discrimination 

against LGBT people who work for State governments and for private sector employers. Based on this research, they concluded that there has been a widespread 

and persistent pattern of discrimination by State governments as well as in the private sector. 

Overall, there is extensive evidence of discrimination against LGBT people, as 

well as evidence that sexual orientation discrimination results in economic harm to 

LGBT people, reducing their earnings by thousands of dollars. 

The studies showing wage gaps also lead to my second major point: Discrimination hurts, but nondiscrimination laws like ENDA are likely to reduce discrimination. Some recent evidence suggests that State laws banning discrimination have 
10 

been effective in reducing wage gaps and employment discrimination against LGB 

people, in particular. Two recent studies using Census 2000 data found that Statelevel sexual orientation nondiscrimination laws reduced the gap in annual earnings 

for gay men. In the study referred to earlier that found differential treatment of gay 

male job applicants, the gap in treatment was significantly smaller in States or local 

areas with nondiscrimination laws that included sexual orientation—8.7 percent received invitations compared with 5.3 percent in States without such protections— 

although the non-gay applicants were still favored in both sets of States. 

My third and final point is that America’s businesses are also likely hurt by the 

direct and indirect effects of discrimination in the workplace. Economists and businesses have long argued that businesses will be most successful when they recruit, 

hire, and retain employees on the basis of talent, not personal characteristics that 

have no impact on an employee’s ability to perform a job well. Beyond that most 

basic reason to forbid discrimination, the evidence suggests that employers would 

also gain in other ways if ENDA were passed. Numerous studies from various academic disciplines suggest that LGBT workers will be healthier and more productive 

workers if they have legal protection from discrimination. 

A key link between policies and productivity is disclosure of one’s sexual orientation. Many studies have demonstrated that fear of discrimination keeps LGB workers, in particular from revealing their sexual orientation in the workplace. Although 

having experienced discrimination directly is a powerful reason for some to ‘‘stay in 

the closet,’’ many studies show that LGB people who fear discrimination are also 

less likely to reveal their sexual orientation to co-workers and supervisors. 

Employers have a stake in these individual decisions, since disclosure has potentially positive benefits to LGB workers’ well-being and job performance. Studies find 

that people who have come out report lower levels of anxiety, less conflict between 

work and personal life, greater job satisfaction, more sharing of employers’ goals, 

higher levels of satisfaction with their co-workers, more self-esteem, and better 

physical health. So when fear of discrimination causes LGB employees to conceal 

their sexual orientation or gender identity, employers experience negative costs 

along with LGB people themselves. The time as well as social and psychological energy that is required to maintain a hidden identity would, from an employer’s perspective, be better used on the job. 

As in the case of wage gaps, nondiscrimination policies can improve the workplace 

climate and influence choices about disclosure and concealment. Several studies 

have found higher levels of disclosure in workplaces when employers have their own 

non-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation. And one study found 

that LGB people who live in places covered by a nondiscrimination law had higher 

levels of disclosure than those in unprotected locations. 

Perhaps the best evidence that nondiscrimination policies are good for business 

comes from the fact that many companies have voluntarily adopted policies and 

point to the business value of those policies. According to the Human Rights Campaign®, 86 percent of the Fortune 500 companies include sexual orientation in their 

nondiscrimination policies, and 50 percent include gender identity. A Williams Institute study shows that large companies report that they adopt these policies to improve employee retention, recruitment, and productivity, as well as to generate the 

best ideas and a stronger customer base. 

To sum up, several decades of research demonstrate that discrimination based on 

sexual orientation and gender identity exists in our Nation’s workplaces. This discrimination hurts LGBT people financially and in other harmful ways. Our Nation’s 

employers and employees would be better off with an LGBT workforce that no 

longer fears discrimination. The research overwhelmingly demonstrates that passing 

the Employment Non-Discrimination Act would benefit both employees and employers. 

REFERENCES

Badgett, M.V. Lee. 2007. ‘‘Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation: A Review of 

the Economics Literature and Beyond,’’ in Sexual Orientation Discrimination: An 

International Perspective, co-edited by M.V. Lee Badgett and Jeff Frank, 

Routledge, 2007. 

M.V. Lee Badgett, Christopher Ramos, and Brad Sears. 2008. ‘‘Evidence of Employment Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: 

Complaints Filed With State Enforcement Agencies 1999–2007,’’ Williams Institute. 

Grant, Jaime M., Lisa A. Mottet, Justin Tanis, Jack Harrison, Jody L. Herman, and 

Mara Keisling. 2011. ‘‘Injustice At Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey,’’National Center For Transgender Equality & The 
11 

Gay And Lesbian Task Force, http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/reports/reports/ntdslfull.pdf. 

Klawitter, Marieka. 2011. ‘‘Multilevel Analysis of the Effects of Antidiscrimination 

Policies on Earnings by Sexual Orientation,’’ Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Volt. 30, No. 2, 334–58. 

Make the Road New York. 2010. Transgender Need Not Apply: A Report on Gender 

Identity Job Discrimination. http://www.maketheroad.org/pixlreports/Trans 

NeedNotApplyReportl05.10.pdf, 2010. 

Sears, Brad, and Christy Mallory. 2011. ‘‘Economic Motives for Adopting LGBT-Related Workplace Policies,’’ Williams Institute, http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla 

.edu/wp-content/uploads/Mallory-Sears-Corp-Statements-Oct2011.pdf. 

Sears, Brad, Nan D. Hunter, Christy Mallory. 2009. ‘‘Documenting Discrimination 

on the Basis of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in State Employment,’’ 

Williams Institute, http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/research/workplace/documenting-discrimination-on-the-basis-of-sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-instate-employment/. 

Tilcsik, Andra ́s, 2011. ‘‘Pride and Prejudice: Employment Discrimination against 

Openly Gay Men in the United States,’’ American Journal of Sociology, Volt. 117, 

No. 2 (September), PP. 586–626. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Dr. Badgett. 

Now we turn to Mr. Kylar Broadus. I will get it right one of 

these times. 

Mr. BROADUS. Thank you, Senator. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you for being here. Please proceed. 

STATEMENT OF KYLAR W. BROADUS, FOUNDER, TRANS 

PEOPLE OF COLOR COALITION, COLUMBIA, MO 

Mr. BROADUS. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I 

am very honored to be here today. 

As mentioned, I am the executive director of Trans People of 

Color Coalition, and I do various things. I reside in Columbia, MO 

and I am a native of mid-Missouri. I also teach at an historically 

Black college, and I am here to obviously speak in support of inclusion of ENDA. And I am here to paint a little bit different picture 

than just the statistics, although the statistics are very important, 

but as a person that has suffered job discrimination himself. 

I am a transgender American. I am a female to male transsexual 

person that transitioned approximately 20 years ago. The terminology is explained in my testimony. Basically, there is an umbrella term called ‘‘transgendered,’’ that is used to define people 

whose internal identification is different from their external appearance at birth, and that would be me. 

For me, the physical transition was more about letting the outer 

world know who I really was. My internal sense of self has never 

changed and I knew who I was internally. People have always related to me as male. That is my essence and my soul. The transition was a matter of actually living the truth and sharing the truth 

with the world rather than living a lie every day and pretending 

to be somebody that I was not. 

Prior to any actual medical transition, just to give you a sort of 

picture of my life. When I navigated the world, even though my 

driver’s license had ‘‘female’’ on it, nobody ever saw that. When I 

would go in to do anything, they would always relate to me as 

male, and never understood why I had a female gender marker. So 

obviously, it was tough to navigate security. It was tough to navigate employment where you have to have matching documentation 

for your employer. 
12 

And then, also the fact that some people were uncomfortable because I did not choose one box or the other, or fit in one box very 

clearly; again, not my choice, but just who I was and am. 

When I used female restrooms, police would accost me. I would 

have to strip and then they would still tell me, ‘‘Sir, get out of the 

bathroom,’’ when I would use a ladies’ room. It is just humiliating 

and dehumanizing, to say the least. 

So after years of having to navigate these issues, I just chose to 

go with what was natural for me, and again, bring my full self to 

the table, and to the world to show the world who I am and the 

real me. 

At work, when I decided to actually transition, I had been there 

for a number of years and I am a workaholic, and it was disheartening to me that all this could be pulled out from under me because people were uncomfortable with the person that I am. 

While studying business in college, I assumed like most students, 

that I would not encounter any of these difficulties. I was a good 

person. I was a mid-Missourian raised with a strong work ethic, 

both parents who put us first as their children, and who worked 

multiple jobs to maintain a livelihood for their family. I recall my 

first job at 5-years-old, which I got spending money and that is how 

we earned our allowance by working with our parents at their 

evening jobs, and was so proud, and am a proud person to have 

that so strong work ethic. 

Prior also to the physical transition, I was working in the financial industry, which is actually a high paying industry. But again, 

when I shifted or transitioned, that is when all the trouble began. 

It was and still is emotional to me because it impacted me emotionally. I suffer from posttraumatic stress as a result of the harassment that I encountered in the workplace from my employer, from 

not being allowed to change my name or use the name I used, not 

being allowed to wear my hair a certain way, not being allowed to 

dress as me. All these things physically impacted me and I had, 

and still suffer from posttraumatic stress and several other things 

as a result of this. 

Not only that, but I was then unemployed, and to be unemployed 

is very devastating, also demeaning and demoralizing. And then 

the recovery time, there is no limit on it. I still have not financially 

recovered. 

I am underemployed. When I do talks, I tell people I am not employable. I was lucky to be where I am, and I am happy to be 

where I am, but I am one of the fortunate people that is employed. 

There are many more people like me that are not employed as a 

result of just being who they are. Being good workers, but being 

a transgender or transsexual. 

So I think it is extremely important that this bill be passed to 

protect workers like me. There are many cases that I hear every 

day, people call me every day with these cases around the country 

because I am also an attorney that practices and deals with people 

that suffer employment discrimination. 

The last thing I will say, wrapping up, because I do think I am 

out of time is that it is, again, I cannot emphasize this enough as 

I still sit here today with almost tears in my eyes, it is devastating, 

it is demoralizing, and dehumanizing to be put in that position. 
13 

So I urge this committee particularly to always include 

transgender people because I know that had been an issue in this 

bill at some point as we suffer grave discrimination as some of the 

statistics show. Most of us, again, make less than $10,000 a year 

who are able to be employed. And if we are not, then we have to 

resort to other means to survive and live, which then make our 

lives even worse. 

So I thank this committee for allowing me this time to speak. I 

thank you for considering this, and again, I strongly urge the U.S. 

Congress to take this bill up and pass the ENDA, the Employment 

Non-Discrimination Act. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Broadus follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF KYLAR W. BROADUS

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Kylar William Broadus 

and I’m the executive director of the Trans People of Color Coalition, a 2-year-old 

national organization formed to focus on the concerns of transgender people of color 

in America. I reside in Columbia, MO and am a native mid-Missourian. I teach at 

a historically Black college, Lincoln University, and practice law. Today, I’m here 

to talk to you about S. 811, the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA) and the 

need for inclusion of employment protections for transgender Americans. I am 

thankful to you for the opportunity to be here to speak in favor of this legislation. 

I am a transgender American, a female to male transsexual that transitioned approximately 20 years ago. For those not familiar with the term ‘‘transgender,’’ it is 

used to define people whose internal identification as female or male does not match 

their assigned sex at birth, which includes many that undertake the medical process 

of changing their physical gender. The terms ‘‘trans’’ and ‘‘transgender’’ are used 

interchangeably. For me, the physical transition was about letting the outer world 

know my internal sense of self, of who really was inside this body. People always 

related to me as male from an early age and this continued, of course, into transition. My transition was a matter of living the truth and sharing that truth for the 

first time in my life. 

Prior to actual medical intervention, as I indicated, I was mostly viewed as male. 

My gender assigned at birth was female, so my driver’s license and other documents 

carried the gender marker of ‘‘female’’ even though my appearance was masculine. 

In some cases, I couldn’t use female restrooms or locker rooms. When I used female 

restrooms security or police were called to escort me from the restrooms even after 

stripping to ‘‘prove’’ that I was female. That was humiliating and dehumanizing. 

After years of not being able to use the public restroom, I began to just use the 

men’s room, where I never had any problems. I had the same problem with the 

women’s locker room at the gym. One of my favorite memories is my girlfriend first 

going in to tell everyone that I wasn’t a ‘‘man.’’ Then I would walk in and all the 

women would run out of the locker room screaming ‘‘it’s’’ a ‘‘man!’’ I would just 

change before going to the gym and remove my sweats in the gym area to avoid 

any problems. 

I’m mainly here today to talk about my experience with workplace discrimination. 

First, I’ll share my personal story and then talk about the plight of thousands of 

transgender Americans that are just getting their stories told. 

While studying business in college, I assumed, like most students, that I would 

not encounter any special difficulties. I was raised in a working class family with 

a hard work ethic. I had my first job at the age of five working for my father at 

his evening job. He would take me and my sister to work with him and this was 

how we earned our spending money. I recall very vividly cleaning the water fountains in the offices. It was during this time that I learned to take pride in my work. 

My father showed me how to make the water fountains clean and shiny. I then 

graduated to the trash cans. From that point on, I have always worked a job and 

since college, two jobs at a time in some form or fashion. My employers have always 

praised my work. 

Prior to my physical transition, I began working at a major financial institution. 

I wore the traditional female attire at the time, which was a skirt and pantyhose. 

It was required and expected in the late 1980s and early 1990s. As I began to find 

myself, my attire gradually shifted from feminine to more masculine styles. Then 

I actually moved to a division of the company where the dress code was less stringent and began to wear men’s suits and ties most of the time. My hair got shorter 
14 

and more masculine. My demeanor had always been masculine. Many clients already confused me for male even though my name was female. My coworkers didn’t 

seem to mind. It was management that seemed to have issues with it. I was called 

in to discuss my hair cut, and I was told that I was not allowed to go by my initials, 

‘‘K.B.,’’ which many males did but females didn’t. 

After I announced my gender transition, it only took 6 months before I was ‘‘constructively discharged’’ from my employer. While my supervisors could tolerate a 

somewhat masculine-appearing black woman, they were not prepared to deal with 

my transition to being a black man. With growing despair, I watched my professional connections, support, and goodwill evaporate, along with my prospects of remaining employed. I was harassed until I was forced to leave. I received harassing 

telephone calls hourly from my supervisor some days. I received assignments after 

hours that were due by 9 a.m. the next morning. The stress was overwhelming. I 

ended up taking a stress leave for several weeks. I thought upon my return perhaps 

things would settle down. I was back less than a week from stress leave and knew 

that it wasn’t going to settle down. I was forbidden from talking to certain people 

and my activities were heavily monitored. I was forced out and unemployed for 

about a year before finally obtaining full-time employment. 

Before fully accepting that new reality, however, I tried everything possible to 

save the career I had worked so many years to build. Once I lost my job, I thought 

that there MUST be laws that protect individuals when they are discriminated 

against. After filing a lawsuit in Federal court, though, I learned quickly that 

transgender people weren’t covered under any discrimination laws. Like the vast 

majority of plaintiffs during my era, I lost. My lawsuit was summarily dismissed. 

After my COBRA ran out, I had no health insurance and wasn’t able to earn a 

living wage. I did what I could to juggle things including using my 401K. Even once 

I obtained employment I wasn’t able to catch back up on everything that I had gotten behind on. I was working in positions that paid substantially less than I made. 

I went from financial services to part-time academia and a law practice in a region 

not very welcoming for a black transgender man in mid-Missouri. It has been well 

over 15 years since I lost employment and I still haven’t recovered financially. My 

student loans were the most impacted and more than quadrupled since I left law 

school. My father is deceased but I care for my infirm mother and my underemployment makes it extremely difficult to do. Emotionally, I still suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome from the discrimination I experienced. 

Many transgender Americans suffer without protection and are subject to discriminatory practices. This is why it is extremely imperative that ENDA be passed. 

There are only 16 States and the District of Columbia that provide us protection 

from being discriminated against on the job just because of who we are. In the recent report ‘‘Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey,’’ there were 6,450 transgender study participants from across 

the United States. The results were staggering across the board but particularly in 

the area of employment. 

The report showed the following: 

• Transgender respondents experienced unemployment at twice the rate of the 

general population with rates for transgender people of color up to four times the 

national unemployment rate. 

• Ninety percent (90 percent) of those surveyed reported experiencing harassment 

or discrimination on the job or took actions like hiding who they are to avoid it. 

• Forty-seven percent (47 percent) had experienced an adverse job outcome, such 

as being fired, not hired or denied a promotion because of being transgender or gender non-conforming. 

• Over one-quarter (26 percent) had lost a job due to being transgender or gender 

non-conforming and 50 percent were harassed. 

• Large majorities attempted to avoid discrimination by hiding their gender or 

gender transition (71 percent) or delaying their gender transition (57 percent). 

• The vast majority (78 percent) of those who transitioned from one gender to the 

other reported that they felt more comfortable at work and their job performance 

improved, despite high levels of mistreatment. 

• Overall, 16 percent said they had been compelled to work in the underground 

economy for income (such as doing sex work or selling drugs). 

• Respondents who were unemployed or had lost a job due to bias also experienced ruinous consequences such as four times the rate of homelessness, 70 percent 

more current drinking or misuse of drugs to cope with mistreatment, 85 percent 

more incarceration, more than double the rate working in the underground economy, and more than double the HIV infection rate. 
15 

These results are staggering and make the case that there needs to be clear protection for transgender Americans who deserve the same chance at earning a living 

and providing for themselves and the people they love. It is imperative that Congress pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act so that transgender people like 

me are able to live our lives and provide for our families without fear of discrimination. 

I truly appreciate the opportunity to testify before you here today. 

Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Broadus, thank you very much. 

I am told by my staff that you are, indeed, the first 

transgendered individual to ever testify before the U.S. Senate. I 

am proud of this committee. I am proud of the people in this committee that would invite you here, and as chairman, I thank you 

for being here. And I want to commend you for your courage in 

being here and for being who you are because you are going to give 

courage to a lot of other people. So I commend you for that. Thank 

you very much for being here. 

Mr. BROADUS. Thank you, sir. 

The CHAIRMAN. Now, let us turn to Mr. Bagenstos, and welcome, 

and please proceed. 

STATEMENT OF SAMUEL R. BAGENSTOS, PROFESSOR OF LAW, 

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW SCHOOL, ANN ARBOR, MI 

Mr. BAGENSTOS. Thank you, Chairman Harkin and members of 

the committee. I appreciate the invitation to testify today in support of this important bill. 

My testimony today is based on my experience writing about, 

teaching about, litigating civil rights employment discrimination 

cases for most of the past 2 decades, including two stints in the 

U.S. Department of Justice, most recently from 2009 to 2011 where 

I did serve as the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for 

Civil Rights. 

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act is an exceptionally important bill. It is very much needed. It will be the logical next step 

in our Nation’s commitment to eradicating workplace discrimination. 

I want to talk about three things. 

First, very briefly, the discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals is a serious problem, and we have 

heard that. Second, that the current legal regime in the States and 

the Federal Government is inadequate to deal with that problem. 

And third, that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act is an appropriately tailored remedy for that problem. And I am, of course, 

happy to answer any of the committee’s questions. 

As to the first point, I think everything that needs to be said, almost, about the harm, and impact, and extent of discrimination 

against lesbian, gay, transgender, and bisexual individuals has 

been said by the two witnesses who preceded me on this committee, and it is very difficult to add to that. All I will say is that 

at the most fundamental level, as Senator Merkley and Chairman 

Harkin, you suggested, workplace discrimination against people 

who are gay or lesbian, who are bisexual or transgender violate 

basic American values of equality, opportunity, and fair play. If a 

person can do the job and can do it as well as, or better, than anyone else, then an employer has no business firing that person or 
16 

refusing to hire that person simply because he or she is gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. I think that is a basic principle. 

When employers discriminate against LGBT individuals, they 

face a really tragic choice as we have just heard. But the cost is 

not just LGBT individuals, it is to our economy. It is to our society 

as a whole. That is why, I think, you are going to hear that 87 percent of Fortune 500 companies include sexual orientation in their 

antidiscrimination policies, and 41 percent, a number that has been 

growing steadily, include gender identity. That is because these 

companies recognize that their businesses will be more competitive 

when they hire all talented individuals. 

But unfortunately, despite the policies of these forward-looking 

employers, discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and 

transgender individuals is widespread and these widespread harms 

demand a response, but the current law is inadequate to the task. 

There is a patchwork of State laws that address discrimination 

against lesbian, gay, and bisexual, and sometimes transgender individuals, but those laws cover only 16 States for all LGBT individuals and 21 States for lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals. The 

gaps in their coverage are very significant, as I talk about in my 

written testimony. 

Although some Federal courts and the EEOC have interpreted 

over the past 10 years Title VII of the Civil Rights Act as addressing parts of this problem, the law under that statute remains uncertain and developing. What we need is a clear Federal prohibition of discrimination against LGBT individuals, and that is what 

the Employment Non-Discrimination Act would accomplish. 

ENDA would respond to these problems by doing nothing more 

than extending the sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination, the same basic legal structure that this country has applied 

for nearly 50 years, to other forms of employment discrimination. 

The bill takes its operative provisions directly from the operative 

revisions of title VII and the experience that employers have developed over the past 5 decades in complying with those provisions, 

the case law the courts have developed. The guidance the EEOC 

has provided will inform, and guide, and ease compliance with 

ENDA. 

One of the title VII provisions that ENDA incorporates is one 

that, I know, has garnered a great deal of discussion in the past 

on this committee and elsewhere, and that is the statute’s religious 

exemption. Section 6 of ENDA plainly states that the statute shall 

not apply to an organization that is exempt from the religious discrimination provisions of title VII. And section 6 specifically refers 

to the two provisions of title VII that create religious exemptions, 

section 702(a) and 703(e)(2). 

Section 702(a)—these are very broad—section 702(a) exempts 

any, ‘‘Religious corporation, association, educational institution, or 

society,’’ in anything relating to its activities. And section 703(e)(2) 

exempts any school, college, university or other educational institution or institution of learning that, 

‘‘Is in whole or in substantial part owned, supported, controlled, or managed by a particular religion, or by a particular 

religious corporation, et cetera, or if the curriculum of that 
17 

1See Jennifer C. Pizer, Brad Sears, Christy Mallory & Nan D. Hunter, Evidence of Persistent 

and Pervasive Workplace Discrimination Against LGBT People: The Need for Federal Legislation 

Prohibiting Discrimination and Providing for Equal Employment Benefits, 45 LOY. L.A. L. REV. 

715, 738–42 (2012). 

school is directed toward the propagation of a particular religion.’’ 

These exemptions have been well-settled for decades and they 

have been upheld as constitutional by the Supreme Court. This bill 

would incorporate those exemptions in exactly a very clear and 

broad form. 

The bill before this committee, as Chairman Harkin pointed out, 

also contains a number of limitations that sharply restrict the burdens it would impose on employers making it even narrower than 

title VII, notably, not having any disparate impact claims. And the 

bill bars quotas and other preferential treatment which, again, narrows the burden that it will place on employers. 

I want to thank you, Chairman Harkin, and the committee, 

again, for the opportunity to testify in support of this very important bill. I very much look forward to answering the committee’s 

question. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Bagenstos follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF SAMUEL R. BAGENSTOS

Chairman Harkin, Ranking Member Enzi, and members of the committee, thank 

you for inviting me to testify today in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. My name is Samuel Bagenstos. I hold an appointment as Professor of Law 

at the University of Michigan Law School. For most of the past two decades, I have 

taught, written about, and litigated cases in civil rights and employment discrimination law. From 1994 to 1997, and again from 2009 to 2011, I served in the U.S. Department of Justice, where I most recently was the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. 

ENDA is an exceptionally important bill and one that is much needed. It will be 

the logical next step in our Nation’s commitment to eradicating workplace discrimination. In this testimony, I will make three essential points: first, that discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals is a serious problem; 

second, that the current legal regime is inadequate to respond to that problem; and, 

third, that ENDA is an appropriately tailored remedy for that problem. 

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST LGBT INDIVIDUALS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM

LGBT individuals who have experienced discrimination have testified before this 

committee in the past, and the committee will hear more of their stories today. 

Their testimony stands on its own and provides the most compelling reason Congress should adopt this bill. Let me offer a wider scale view on why discrimination 

against LGBT individuals is wrong and why Congress should do something about 

it. 

At the most fundamental level, workplace discrimination against people who are 

gay or lesbian or bisexual or transgender violates the basic American values of 

equal opportunity and fair play. If a person can do the job—and can do it as well 

as, or better than, anyone else—an employer has no business firing or refusing to 

hire that person simply because he or she is gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. 

When employers discriminate against LGBT individuals, those individuals confront 

a choice that can be tragic: give up job opportunities in their chosen field—opportunities to perform jobs that they can do as well as or better than anyone else—or 

try to hide who they are, at great psychological cost and fear of discovery. An array 

of medical, psychological, and social scientific evidence demonstrates that the experience of workplace discrimination and stigma harms the mental and even physical 

health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons.1 And the testimony this 

committee has heard from individuals who have experienced discrimination because 

of their sexual orientation or gender identity highlights the very substantial costs 

that discrimination imposes on those individuals. 
18 

2See Williams Inst., Economic Motives For Adopting LGBT-Related Workplace Policies, Oct. 

2011, available at http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Mallory-SearsCorp-Statements-Oct2011.pdf. 3Pizer et al., supra note 1, at 721. 4 California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, 

Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. 5Delaware, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, and Wisconsin. 

6See Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins, 490 U.S. 228, 251 (1989) (plurality opinion) (‘‘As for the 

legal relevance of sex stereotyping, we are beyond the day when an employer could evaluate 

employees by assuming or insisting that they matched the stereotype associated with their 

group, for ‘[i]n forbidding employers to discriminate against individuals because of their sex, 

Congress intended to strike at the entire spectrum of disparate treatment of men and women 

resulting from sex stereotypes.’ ’’) (internal quotation marks omitted; quoting Los Angeles Dept. 

of Water & Power v. Manhart, 435 U.S. 702, 707 n.13 (1978)). 

But the cost is not just to LGBT individuals. When productive workers are denied 

the opportunity to perform their jobs, all of society loses out. In our current economic crisis, we don’t have a person to lose. This is why 87 percent of Fortune 500 

companies include sexual orientation in their nondiscrimination policies, and 41 percent include gender identity. They recognize that their businesses will be more competitive when they hire all talented individuals—and that, in the words of an official 

at one major company, ‘‘our people can serve our clients best when they can be authentic in the workplace.’’ 2

Unfortunately, despite the policies of forward-thinking employers like these, discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals is widespread. A review of the evidence, published just this Spring, found, among other 

things, that: 

1. ‘‘LGBT people and their heterosexual coworkers consistently report having experienced or witnessed discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity 

in the workplace’’; 

2. A national survey of gays and lesbians in 2008 found that ‘‘37 percent had experienced workplace harassment in the last 5 years, and 12 percent had lost a job 

because of their sexual orientation’’; 

3. A 2011 survey of transgender people found that 90 percent had ‘‘experienced 

harassment or mistreatment at work, or had taken actions to avoid it, and 47 percent [had] been discriminated against in hiring, promotion, or job retention because 

of their gender identity’’; 

4. ‘‘Numerous reports of employment discrimination against LGBT people [appear] 

in court cases, State and local administrative complaints, complaints to communitybased organizations, academic journals, newspapers and other media, and books’’; 

and 

5. ‘‘State and local governments and courts have acknowledged that LGBT people 

have faced widespread discrimination in employment.’’ 3

CURRENT LAWS ARE INADEQUATE

These widespread harms demand a response. Unfortunately, current law is inadequate to the task. Although a patchwork of State statutes address discrimination 

against lesbian, gay, and bisexual—and sometimes transgender—individuals, the 

gaps in their coverage are significant. And although some Federal courts and the 

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission have interpreted Title VII of the Civil 

Rights Act of 1964 as addressing aspects of the problem, the law under that statute 

remains uncertain and developing. A clear Federal prohibition of workplace discrimination against LGBT individuals is needed. 

Sixteen States 4 plus the District of Columbia currently prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Another five States 5 prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation but do not include any 

prohibition on gender identity discrimination. But the enforcement procedures and 

remedies for those statutes vary. They do not provide the clear and strong set of 

remedies—crucially including access to Federal courts—that Congress has developed 

for workplace discrimination over the past five decades. And LGBT workers outside 

of those States enjoy no clear State statutory protection against discrimination at 

all. 

As for title VII, a growing body of cases holds that discrimination against LGBT 

individuals can, at least in some circumstances, violate the statute’s prohibitions on 

sex discrimination. Relying on the well-established principle that title VII prohibits 

discrimination motivated by an individual’s failure to conform to sex stereotypes at 

work,6 the Sixth, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuits have allowed claims brought by 
19 

7See, e.g., Glenn v. Burmby, 663 F.3d 1312 (11th Cir. 2011); Kastl v. Maricopa County Community Coll. Dist., 325 Fed. Appx. 492 (9th Cir. 2009); Smith v. City of Salem, 378 F.3d 566 

(6th Cir. 2004). 8See Macy v. Holder, 2012 WL 1435995 (E.E.O.C., Apr. 20, 2012). 9See Castello v. Donahoe, 2011 WL 6960810 (E.E.O.C. Off. of Fed. Operations, Dec. 20, 2011); 

Veretto v. Donahoe, 2011 WL 2663401 (E.E.O.C. Off. of Fed. Operations, July 1, 2011). 10See, e.g., Kalich v. AT&T Mobility, Inc.,lF.3dl, 2012 WL 1623193 at *4 (6th Cir., May 

10, 2012); Vickers v. Fairfield Medical Center, 453 F.3d 757, 762–65 (6th Cir. 2006). 11 Compare S. 811, 112th Cong., 1st Sess. § 4(a)–(d) (2011), with 42 U.S.C. § 2000e–2(a)–(d). 12S. 811 § 6. 13 Id. 14 42 U.S.C. § 2000e–1(a). 15 42 U.S.C. § 2000e–2(e)(2). 16See Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 

v. Amos, 483 U.S. 327 (1987). 17See Testimony of Craig L. Parshall before the Senate Comm. on Health, Education, Labor, 

and Pensions (Nov. 5, 2009). 

transgender individuals under the statute to proceed.7 In discharging its responsibilities to adjudicate title VII claims brought by Federal employees, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has recently held that discrimination against an 

individual because she is transgender violates the statute. The Commission reached 

that conclusion both under a sex stereotyping theory and because discrimination 

against someone because she changed her sex is a quite direct form of discrimination because of sex (just as discrimination against someone because she changed her 

religion is discrimination because of religion).8 And the EEOC’s Office of Federal 

Operations has, on two recent occasions, concluded that a lesbian or gay individual 

can challenge workplace harassment where the harassment is motivated by the individual’s failure to conform to gender stereotypes.9

But these developments are not grounds for complacency, and they do not detract 

from the compelling need for Congress to enact ENDA. A number of courts—even 

those that have permitted claims by some LGBT plaintiffs to proceed—have gone 

to great pains to separate out those cases that ‘‘really’’ involve sex stereotyping (and 

thus may proceed under title VII) from those that ‘‘really’’ involve sexual orientation 

discrimination (and thus, according to these courts, may not).10 The result is uncertainty—for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender workers and for employers alike. 

The only way to provide clear and certain protection for LGBT workers is to write 

that protection explicitly into Federal law. That is precisely what ENDA would accomplish. 

ENDA IS AN APPROPRIATELY TAILORED RESPONSE

In responding to these problems, ENDA would do nothing more than extend to 

sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination the same basic legal structure 

that has applied to other forms of employment discrimination for nearly 50 years. 

The bill takes its operative provisions directly from the operative provisions of title 

VII.11 The experience that employers have developed in complying with those provisions over the past five decades, and the law developed under those provisions, will 

necessarily inform, guide, and ease employer compliance with ENDA. 

One of the title VII provisions that ENDA incorporates deserves more extended 

discussion. That is the statute’s religious exemption. Section 6 of ENDA plainly 

states that the statute ‘‘shall not apply’’ to an organization ‘‘that is exempt from the 

religious discrimination provisions of title VII.’’ 12 Section 6 specifically refers to the 

two provisions of title VII that create religious exemptions: Section 702(a) and Section 703(e)(2).13 Section 702(a) exempts any ‘‘religious corporation, association, educational institution, or society,’’ 14 and Section 703(e)(2) exempts any ‘‘school, college, 

university, or other educational institution or institution of learning’’ that ‘‘is, in 

whole or in substantial part, owned, supported, controlled, or managed by a particular religion or by a particular religious corporation, association, or society, or if 

the curriculum of such school, college, university, or other educational institution or 

institution of learning is directed toward the propagation of a particular religion.’’ 15

These exemptions have been well settled for decades, and they have been upheld 

as constitutional by the Supreme Court.16

At its 2009 hearing on ENDA, this committee heard testimony from Mr. Craig 

Parshall—who is also scheduled to appear as a witness before this committee 

today—that asserted that the bill’s religious exemption would not be effective.17 But 

Mr. Parshall’s assertion is based on a clear misreading of ENDA’s text. Mr. Parshall 

testified that because title VII exempts religious organizations only from the statute’s prohibition of religious discrimination, and not from its prohibition of race or 

sex discrimination, the incorporation of title VII’s exemption in ENDA will protect 
20 

18See Id. at 4–5. 19S. 811 § 6. 20 Id. § 4(g). 21 Id. § 4(f). 22 Id. § 11(b). 23 Id. § 11(a). 24See College Savings Bank v. Florida Prepaid Post-Secondary Ed. Expense Bd., 527 U.S. 666, 

686–87 (1999). 25For discussions of the evidence of a widespread pattern of unconstitutional discrimination 

against LGBT State employees, see Williams Inst., Evidence of Employment Discrimination on 

the Basis of Sexual Orientation in State and Local Govt.: Complaints Filed With State Enforcement Agencies 2003–2007 (July 2001), available at http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/research/workplace/evidence-of-employment-discrimination-on-the-basis-of-sexual-orientation-instate-and-local-government-complaints-filed-with-state-enforcement-agencies–2003–2007/; Letter 

from Matthew A. Coles to Hons. George Miller & John Kline (Sept. 23, 2009), available at 

http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/discrim/41193leg20090923.html. 26See, e.g., Tennessee v. Lane, 541 U.S. 509, 523–29 (2004); Nevada Dept. of Human Resources 

v. Hibbs, 538 U.S. 721, 728–35 (2003). 

religious organizations only if the courts conclude that sexual orientation discrimination is more like religious discrimination than like race or sex discrimination.18

That is simply incorrect. Section 6 of the bill under consideration states clearly 

that ‘‘[t]his Act’’—i.e., ENDA-‘‘shall not apply’’ to an entity ‘‘that is exempt from the 

religious discrimination provisions of title VII.’’ 19 In other words, if an entity cannot 

be sued for religious discrimination under title VII, it cannot be sued for sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination under ENDA. It does not matter whether 

courts conclude that sexual orientation discrimination is more like religious discrimination or race or sex discrimination. That question is irrelevant, because 

ENDA exempts any entity that is exempt from the religious discrimination provisions of title VII. The bill could hardly be clearer on the point. 

The bill before this committee also contains a number of limitations that sharply 

restrict the burdens it would impose on employers. Most notably, the bill provides 

that ‘‘[o]nly disparate treatment claims may be brought under this Act.’’ 20 In other 

words, the statute does not provide a cause of action to challenge neutral employer 

practices that merely have a disparate impact on LGBT individuals. And the bill 

bars quotas and other preferential treatment.21

Finally, I would like to add a word about ENDA’s protection of State employees. 

The bill would guarantee that employees of State governments have the same protections, and are generally entitled to the same remedies, as the employees of private employers. It would do so in two respects. First, it would require that States 

waive their sovereign immunity against ENDA suits brought by employees or applicants for employment in their programs or activities that receive Federal financial 

assistance.22 Second, it would abrogate all States’ sovereign immunity against suits 

brought for violation of the statute.23

Both of these provisions fit well within the constitutional requirements set by the 

Supreme Court. The Court has made clear that Congress can condition Federal 

funds on a State’s waiver of sovereign immunity.24 And ENDA’s abrogation of State 

sovereign immunity responds to a significant history and pattern of employment discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender State employees—discrimination that generally lacks even the ‘‘rational basis’’ that the lowest equal protection standard of review demands.25 It thus satisfies the standards the Court has 

set for abrogation of State sovereign immunity.26

CONCLUSION

Thank you again for the opportunity to testify in support of this important legislation. I look forward to answering the committee’s questions. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Mr. Bagenstos. 

And now, we will turn to Mr. Ken Charles from General Mills. 

STATEMENT OF KENNETH CHARLES, VICE PRESIDENT OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, GENERAL MILLS, INC., MINNEAPOLIS, MN 

Mr. CHARLES. Good morning. 

Thank you, Chairman Harkin for the opportunity to speak today 

in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2011. And 
21 

thank you to the distinguished members of the Committee on 

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. 

My name is Ken Charles and I am vice president of Global Diversity and Inclusion for General Mills. We are among the world’s 

largest food companies, and market some of the world’s best-loved 

brands including Cheerios, Green Giant, Nature Valley, Progresso 

and Yoplait to name a few. We have 35,000 employees worldwide 

with about half of them in the United States. We are 

headquartered in Minneapolis, MN where we trace our roots back 

over 150 years. Last fiscal year, we had sales approximately of $15 

billion. 

Our business case for diversity and inclusion is a simple equation: diversity plus inclusion equals business value. When you combine diversity, which we simply define as difference, with a culture 

that acknowledges, respects, and values all of our differences and 

similarities good things happen. We find ourselves able to connect 

with our consumers, customers, and communities. We reap new 

ideas and innovation, and we recruit and retain the talent we need 

to win now and in the future. 

We are honored to represent corporate America’s support for the 

passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Hundreds of 

companies, including 87 percent of the Fortune 500, have enacted 

protections for employees based on sexual orientation. 

General Mills believes this legislation is good for business and 

good for America because it will help businesses attract and retain 

top talent, help provide a safe, comfortable, and productive work 

environment free of any form of discrimination or harassment, enabling our employees to bring their full selves to work and be fully 

engaged as productive employees, and help create a culture that 

fosters creativity and innovation that is vital to the success of all 

businesses. 

We market our products to everyone. On average, U.S. consumers are placing one of our products in their baskets every 10 

seconds, so it makes good business sense to value all of our consumers, which we do. But it also makes good business sense to create a workforce that represents all of the varied consumers and 

their unique perspectives. We cannot win if we only access a portion of the strong, rich, American talent pool. It is critical that we 

eliminate barriers that allow an individual’s sexual orientation or 

gender identity to be a consideration for employment, promotion, or 

compensation. 

Employees who are members of the GLBT community are incredible contributors to our enterprise. Absent their unique perspectives, talents, and gifts, we would be less competitive and successful; simply said, talent matters. 

Now more than ever, American business needs to leverage the ingenuity of all sectors of our Nation. Discriminatory barriers to top 

talent just do not make business sense. 

Respected employees are productive and engaged employees. We 

strive to be an environment where every employee is respected, 

valued, challenged, and rewarded for their individual contribution 

and performance. Our work environment is built on the foundation 

of our equal employment opportunity policy which prohibits discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, 
22 

marital status, disability, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender 

identity, military service, or other characteristic protected by law. 

Sexual orientation has been part of our policy since the early 

1990s, and we added gender identity in 2004. We know our policy, 

and more importantly, our company culture exemplifies the spirit 

of the proposed Employee Non-Discrimination Act. In fact, a record 

setting 94 percent of our employees say General Mills provides a 

working environment accepting of differences in background and 

lifestyle. 

It is important that we speak to the impact when that is not the 

case, particularly for GLBT employees. Could you be engaged, productive, effective if you lived in fear: fear of losing your job, being 

denied a promotion, being harassed or bullied on the job? For many 

qualified, hardworking Americans this is their experience because 

they lack the basic protection of a consistent Federal law. Their 

lack of engagement is a tax on American productivity that can be 

eliminated with the passage of ENDA. 

I think of a manager who reported to me. He was a recruiter for 

our company and proudly displayed a picture of himself with his 

partner on his desk no different from any other family picture except that it had two gay men. Being able to share his family portrait allowed him to bring his full self to work. Freed from being 

in the closet, he could focus his full attention on finding the best 

and brightest talent for our company. I am even prouder when I 

see this diversity prominently represented by all kinds of families 

within the people’s offices in General Mills. 

Our culture of inclusion has been regularly recognized by a variety of external groups. Just this April, General Mills was recognized as the most reputable company in America. For many years, 

we have achieved a 100 percent perfect score on the Human Rights 

Campaign Corporate Equality Index which recognizes the policies 

and practices that we are supportive of for GLBT employees. 

We know that providing an environment where people of different backgrounds and lifestyles can grow and thrive is essential 

to our long-term success. In our business, innovation is the key to 

survival. People with diverse experiences and backgrounds bring 

different and uniquely valued perspectives and solutions. This diversity drives innovation. That innovation fuels our growth and allows us to win in the global marketplace. That is why we support 

any practice or public policy that encourages bringing diversity to 

the table. 

Internally, we have done several things to encourage diversity. In 

the mid-1990s, we created our GLBT network, Betty’s Family 

named after one of our most familiar icons: Betty Crocker. This 

network’s mission is to create a safe, open, and productive environment for General Mills GLBT employees and allies. Our employees 

comment frequently on the powerful impact this network has had 

on our ability to recruit and retain top talent. We know this network, in addition to our many other affinity groups, is a tangible 

demonstration of our commitment to attracting, developing, and 

advancing every unique employee. 

We also understand that establishing a culture of respect is a 

baseline for our employment standards. Beyond that, we strive to 

be an employer of choice, a place where we demonstrate support for 
23 

the personal needs of our employees, to allow them to be fully committed to their work. 

In 1999, we introduced domestic partner benefits, another demonstration that we are committed to providing equality to all our 

GLBT employees in all of our employment benefits. And we recently affirmed that we provide equal health coverage to 

transgender individuals without exclusion for medically necessary 

care. 

In addition to promoting diversity because of the benefits of our 

business, we support the ENDA legislation because we believe it is 

a fundamental right of all American citizens to be treated fairly, 

with respect and dignity in the workplace regardless of their sexual 

orientation or gender identity. 

Our support mirrors the States in which we are headquartered, 

Minnesota, which is 1 of the 21 States with law preventing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and 1 of the 16 that 

also includes gender identity. Our company values clearly state, 

‘‘We do the right thing all of the time.’’ We believe the Federal protection afforded to citizens by ENDA will be both a symbolic and 

effective means to deliver civil rights to all. 

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to speak to you this 

morning. It is an honor to be here. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Charles follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF KENNETH CHARLES

SUMMARY

General Mills is proud to support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act 

(ENDA). As one of the world’s largest food companies, our success is built on valuing 

our customers and our employers. The bottom line is that respected employees are 

productive employees. Our work environment is built on the foundation of our Equal 

Employment Opportunity policy, which prohibits discrimination based on a variety 

of factors including sexual orientation and gender identity. We support the ENDA 

legislation because we believe it is a fundamental right of all American citizens to 

be treated fairly, with respect and dignity in the workplace, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. We believe Federal protection of our citizens will 

be a symbolic and effective means to deliver civil rights to all. We know that providing an environment where people of different backgrounds and lifestyles can 

grow and thrive is essential to our long-term success. ENDA will be good for business and good for America by helping businesses attract and retain top talent, helping provide a safe, comfortable and productive work environment, free from any 

form of discrimination, and helping create a culture that fosters creativity and innovation that is vital to the success of all businesses. 

Thank you Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Enzi for the opportunity to 

speak today in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007 (S. 811). 

And thank you distinguished members of the Committee on Health, Education, 

Labor, and Pensions. My name is Ken Charles and I am vice president of Global 

Diversity and Inclusion at General Mills. We are among the world’s largest food 

companies and market some of the world’s best-loved brands, including Cheerios, 

Green Giant, Nature Valley, Progresso, and Yoplait, to name a few. We have 35,000 

employees worldwide with about half working in the United States. We are 

headquartered in Minneapolis, MN—where we trace our roots back over 150 years— 

and last fiscal year had annual sales of close to $15 billion. 

Our business case for Diversity & Inclusion is a simple equation. Diversity plus 

inclusion equals business value. When you combine diversity, which we define simply as difference, with a culture that acknowledges, respects, and values all of our 

differences and similarities, good things happen. We find ourselves able to connect 

with our consumers, customers and communities. We reap new ideas and innovation. And we recruit and retain the talent to win now and in the future. 
24 

We are honored to represent Corporate America’s support for passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). Hundreds of companies, including 87 

percent of the Fortune 500, have enacted protections for employees based on sexual 

orientation. General Mills believes this legislation is good for business and good for 

America because it will: 

• Help businesses attract and retain top talent. 

• Help provide a safe, comfortable and productive work environment, free from 

any form of discrimination or harassment, enabling our employees to bring their full 

selves to work and be fully engaged as productive employees. 

• Help create a culture that fosters the creativity and innovation that is vital to 

the success of all businesses. 

We market our products to everyone. On average, U.S. consumers are placing one 

of our products in their baskets every 10 seconds. So it just makes good business 

sense to value all of our consumers, which we do. But it also makes good business 

sense to create a workforce that represents all of the varied consumers and their 

unique perspectives. We can’t win if we only access a portion of the strong American 

talent pool. It’s critical that we eliminate barriers that allow an individual’s sexual 

orientation or gender identity to be a consideration for employment, promotion or 

compensation. 

Employees who are members of the GLBT community are incredible contributors 

to our enterprise. Absent their unique perspectives, talents, and gifts, we would be 

less competitive and successful. Simply said, talent matters. Now more than ever, 

American business needs to leverage the ingenuity of all sectors for our Nation. Discriminatory barriers to top talent just don’t make business sense. 

Respected employees are productive and engaged employees. We strive to be an 

environment where every employee is respected, valued, challenged and rewarded 

for their individual contribution and performance. Our work environment is built on 

the foundation of our Equal Employment Opportunity policy, which prohibits discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, 

disability, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, military service, or other 

characteristic protected by law. Sexual orientation has been a part of our policy 

since the early 1990s and we added gender identity in 2004. 

We know our policy and, more importantly, our company culture exemplifies the 

spirit of the proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act. In fact, a record-setting 

94 percent of our employees say General Mills provides a working environment accepting of differences in background and lifestyle. 

It’s important that we speak to the impact when that’s not the case, particularly 

for GLBT employees. Could you be engaged, productive, effective if you lived in 

fear—fear of losing your job, being denied a promotion, being harassed or bullied 

on the job? For many qualified, hardworking Americans this is their experience because they lack the basic protection a consistent Federal law would provide. Their 

lack of engagement is a tax on American productivity that can be eliminated with 

the passage of ENDA. 

I think of a manager that reported to me. He was a recruiter for our company 

and proudly displayed a picture of himself with his partner on his desk. No different 

from any other family picture except that it had two gay men. Being able to share 

his family portrait allowed him to bring his full self to work. Freed of being in the 

closet on the job, he could focus his full attention on finding the best and brightest 

for our company. I’m even prouder when I see this diversity prominently represented by all kinds of family pictures displayed in peoples’ offices at General 

Mills. 

Our culture of inclusion has been regularly recognized by a variety of external 

groups. Just this April, General Mills was recognized as the Most Reputable Company in America. For many years we have achieved a 100 percent score on the 

Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, which recognizes the policies 

and practices we have that are supportive of our GLBT employees. We have also 

been honored as one of the: 

• 100 Best Companies to Work For by Fortune magazine; 

• 100 Best Corporate citizens by Corporate Responsibility magazine; 

• 10 Best Companies for Working Mothers in Working Mother magazine; and 

• Top 50 Companies for Diversity by DiversityInc. 

We know that providing an environment where people of different backgrounds 

and lifestyles can grow and thrive is essential to our long-term success. In our business, innovation is the key to survival. People with diverse experiences and backgrounds bring different and uniquely valuable perspectives and solutions. This diversity drives innovation. That innovation fuels our growth and allows us to win in 
25 

the global marketplace. That’s why we support any practice or public policy that encourages bringing diversity to the table. 

Internally, we’ve done several things to encourage diversity. In the mid-1990s, we 

created our GLBT network, Betty’s Family, named after one of our most familiar 

icons—Betty Crocker. This network’s mission is to create a safe, open and productive environment for General Mills’ GLBT employees and allies. Our employees comment frequently on the powerful impact this network has on our ability to recruit 

and retain top talent. We know this network, in addition to our many other affinity 

groups, is a tangible demonstration of our commitment to attracting, developing and 

advancing every unique employee. 

We also understand that establishing a culture of respect is a baseline for our employment standards. Beyond that, we strive to be an employer of choice—a place 

where we demonstrate support for the personal needs of our employees to allow 

them to be fully committed to their work. In 1999, we introduced Domestic Partner 

benefits, another demonstration that we are committed to providing equality to our 

GLBT employees in all of our employment benefits. And we recently affirmed that 

we provide equal health coverage for transgender individuals without exclusion for 

medically necessary care. 

In addition to promoting diversity because of its benefits to our business, we support the ENDA legislation because we believe it is a fundamental right of all American citizens to be treated fairly, with respect and dignity in the workplace, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Our support mirrors the State in 

which we are headquartered—Minnesota—which is one of 21 States with laws preventing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and one of 16 that also includes gender identity. Our company values clearly state, ‘‘We do the right thing all 

of the time.’’ We believe the Federal protection afforded to citizens by ENDA will 

be both a symbolic and effective means to deliver civil rights to all. 

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today. I would be happy to take 

any questions. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Mr. Charles. 

And now, we will turn to Mr. Craig Parshall. 

Mr. Parshall. 

STATEMENT OF CRAIG L. PARSHALL, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL, NATIONAL RELIGIOUS 

BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION, MANASSAS, VA 

Mr. PARSHALL. Thank you, Chairman Harkin and members of 

the committee. It is a pleasure being back here again. 

NRB, National Religious Broadcasters, is a non-profit association 

representing, and supporting, and defending the First Amendment 

interests of Christian communicators including television, radio, 

and Internet broadcasters, publishing companies, churches with a 

media outreach, faith-based charity, and humanitarian organizations, as well as a number of Christian colleges and universities. 

It is my opinion that ENDA as it stands now, in the form of Senate bill 811, would impose a substantial unconstitutional burden on 

religious organizations. Furthermore, it would interfere with their 

ability to effectively pursue their missions. That is because, in my 

opinion, section 6, the religious exemption that has already been 

referred to here, is both textually and constitutionally insufficient. 

I think at this point, a short, legal history might be in order. 

In 1970, the Supreme Court recognized the importance of exemptions for religious groups with regard to general Federal laws, in 

that case, the tax code. The Supreme Court affirmed the 501(c)3 

exemption for religious groups indicating that it, ‘‘Preserved the 

autonomy and freedom of religious bodies,’’ and also helped insulate those religious bodies, which are constitutionally protected 

from government overreaching. 

Nine years later, the Supreme Court in the NLRB case, a case 

involving exemption of religious schools from the National Labor 
26 

Relations Board, cited similar First Amendment grounds to support 

that crafted exemption. 

Then in 1987, Corporation of Presiding Bishop v. Amos, the Supreme Court upheld the current exemption in title VII for religious 

organizations. In that case, in the context of the fact it permitted 

a Mormon church to terminate a lower level employee for purely 

religious grounds. 

The Court noted that the group, not only the Mormon Church in 

that case but all religious groups, under the First Amendment 

must be left alone to define and carry out their religious mission 

and that adequate—and I emphasize ‘‘adequate’’—statutory exemptions serve the purpose of preventing courts from conducting, in 

their words, ‘‘The kind of intrusive inquiry into religious belief that 

the district court engaged in, in this case.’’ Those kinds of inquiries, 

of course, raise excessive entanglement problems under the Establishment Clause, and the Supreme Court noted that. 

And then, of course, this year in the case of Hosanna-Tabor, the 

Supreme Court in a unanimous decision, upheld the so-called ministerial exception, which the courts of appeal were required to develop, because title VII had failed to do so, and so it was a matter 

of court-made law. 

The circuit courts around the country, and then now the U.S. Supreme Court, recognized the need for, in the context of that case, 

clergy-level or minister-level employees with regard to their termination or demotion, those actions to be protected in terms of protecting the religious groups from later discrimination claims by 

clergy, ministers, or religious leaders at that tier of their employment. 

So now we come to section 6 of Senate bill 811, which is substantially, I think it is identically, the same as the last go-round of 

ENDA in 2009. In essence, here is my objection. 

No. 1, it is an apples and oranges ratcheting of Senate bill 811 

to title VII. It creates huge problems for future courts to iron out 

what organizations and under what conditions would be exempted 

and which ones would not. I think that kind of uncertainty obviously raises constitutional problems. Here is the reason I think the 

courts are going to have a problem. 

No. 1, there is a two-tier process of applying the religious exemption process in title VII, one that is cross-referenced from section 

6. No. 1, is it a religious corporation, society, institutions, and so 

forth. Now, the courts have noted that Congress never defined 

what those terms mean. So they have had a problem applying that 

to what kinds of organizations to which that exemption would 

apply. Are they religious? Are they an organization? Are they a corporation? 

Second of all, the second element in the religious exemption portion of title VII requires that the religious organization employ persons of a, ‘‘particular religion,’’ and it is that conduct, not the organizational structure alone, but also specific conduct relating to the 

employee’s religion that then triggers the exemption process. 

Now, the courts have held almost uniformly, at least recently, 

that transgender issues, that serial sex stereotyping relative to homosexual claims and so forth can fall under the definition of sex 

discrimination. And yet under title VII, religious organizations ex-
27 

cept for clergy-level employees get no protection on sex discrimination. 

The possibilities of confusion of analysis by future courts, I think, 

are tremendous. And the chilling effect on religious organizations 

will be monumental. 

Ladies and gentleman, I would suggest that we go back to the 

drawing board and take a look at the cases that I have cited for 

the proposition that exemptions must be clear. They must be 

grounded on the First Amendment protection of religious organizations. They must not lend themselves to confusion, and they must 

give a wide berth. And in the words of the Supreme Court in the 

Hosanna-Tabor case, while discrimination laws are important, so 

too are the basic fundamental religious liberties of religious organizations. 

Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Parshall follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF CRAIG L. PARSHALL

I am Craig Parshall, senior vice-president and general counsel for National Religious Broadcasters (NRB). I am appearing today to voice NRB’s opposition to S. 811, 

the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2011 (ENDA). We oppose S. 811 because, among other reasons which I also outline below: (1) it generally illustrates 

the kind of unaccommodating approach to religious organizations that was recently 

rejected by a unanimous decision of the Supreme Court; (2) the insufficient ‘‘religious exemption’’ provisions of this bill would permit a substantial and unconstitutional burden to be placed on religious organizations; and (3) court decisions dealing 

with ‘‘gender identity’’ type employment discrimination claims indicate that a legal 

remedy is already available for such claims under existing title VII law, also 

subsuming within them numerous ‘‘sexual orientation’’ claims as well. 

NRB is an association representing the free speech interests of Christian communicators, including television, radio and Internet broadcasters, as well as Christian 

publishing companies, churches with a media outreach, Christian broadcast programmers, preaching and teaching ministries, and faith-based charity and humanitarian organizations. NRB also has among its membership more than a dozen Christian colleges and Bible schools. The comprehensive nature of the Christian groups 

that we represent gives us a valuable perspective on the religious liberty and free 

speech implications of S. 811. 

S. 811 AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL THREAT TO RELIGIOUS EMPLOYERS

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Cases as a Form of ‘‘Sex’’ Discrimination: 

the Gutting of Religious Liberty 

Discrimination laws must not infringe on the constitutionally protected autonomy 

of religious organizations. Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School 

v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, et al.,lU.S.l, 132 S. Ct. 694, 710 

(2012) (unanimous decision, upholding the ‘‘ministerial exception’’ as a bar to title 

VII employment discrimination claims, where the Supreme Court stated: 

‘‘The interest of society in the enforcement of employment discrimination statutes is undoubtedly important. But so too is the interest of religious groups in 

choosing who will preach their beliefs, teach their faith, and carry out their mission’’). 

Requiring discrimination laws to adequately protect and accommodate the religious liberties of faith groups is not a mere legislative prerogative: it is a constitutional mandate. Montrose Christian School Corp. v. Carver, Montrose Christian 

School Corp. v. Walsh, 770 A.2d 111 (Md. Ct. App. 2001). 

S. 811 is an exceedingly broad piece of employment discrimination legislation 

which protects persons from adverse employment actions that are based on the ‘‘actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity’’ of those persons. Structurally it would expand upon the scope and effect of Title VII of the Civil Rights 

Act of 1964 as amended, 42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq. 

The bill purports to provide, in its section title to section 6, an ‘‘exemption’’ for 

‘‘religious organizations.’’ However, it does so by incorporating the current religious 

exemption provisions of title VII, an exemption scheme that would provide little ac-
28 

tual protection for religious groups facing sexual orientation or gender identitybased claims. Section 6 of S. 811 provides, in part, that the ‘‘Act shall not apply to 

a corporation, association, educational institution, or society that is exempt from the 

religious discrimination provisions of title VII . . .’’ (emphasis added). 

Title VII currently exempts religious organizations (‘‘a religious corporation, association, educational institution, or society’’) regarding employment decisions impacting persons ‘‘of a particular religion to perform work connected with the carrying 

on’’ of the organization’s ‘‘activities’’ (emphasis added). Thus, it is the position taken 

by the employer regarding the religion of the employee (not that person’s sexual orientation or gender identity), when coupled with the religious nature and structure 

of the employer, that triggers the religious exemption protections found in title VII. 

As the court stated in Petruska v. Gannon University, 462 F.3d 294, 303 (3d Circuit 

2006): ‘‘[title VII] exempts religious entities and educational institutions from its 

nondiscrimination mandate to the extent that an employment decision is based on 

an individual’s [i.e. an employee’s] religious preferences’’ (emphasis added). On the 

other hand, as that court also noted, ‘‘title VII ‘does not’ confer upon religious organizations the right to make those same decisions on the basis of . . . sex . . . ’’ Id., citing Rayburn v. Gen’l Conf. of Seventh Day Adventists, 772 F.2d 1164, 1166 (4th 

Cir. 1985). 

Thus, this question is presented: will future courts construe ‘‘sexual orientation’’ 

or ‘‘gender identity’’ claims under S. 811 against religious employers as primarily asserting discrimination because of ‘‘sex,’’ or discrimination because of ‘‘religion?’’ Numerous court decisions support the former scenario, having already determined that 

gender identity claims assert discrimination based on ‘‘sex.’’ See: Smith v. City of 

Salem, OH, 378 F.3d 566 (6th Cir. 2004); Schwenk v. Hartford, 204 F.3d 1187 (9th 

Cir. 2000); Rosa v. Park W. Bank & Trust Co., 214 F.3d 213, 215–16 (1st Cir. 2000); 

Glenn v. Brumby, 663 F.3d 1312 (11th Cir. 2011). 

Recent legal developments coupled with the text of S. 811 itself indicate that the 

‘‘gender identity’’ protections of the bill could spell particular difficulties for religious 

groups and would result in a serious violation of their religious liberties, despite the 

superficial insertion of the ‘‘religious exemption’’ language in section 6. As a textual 

matter, the bill prohibits employment discrimination against persons on the basis 

of perceived or actual ‘‘sexual orientation or gender identity.’’ It should be noted 

that, while each of those two categories is separately defined in the bill, it seems 

clear that the ‘‘gender identity’’ category (‘‘gender-related identity, appearance, or 

mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of an individual, with or without 

regard to the individual’s designated sex at birth’’) is worded very broadly—broad 

enough in fact to subsume within it various claims of ‘‘sexual orientation’’ discrimination also. 

This conclusion that both ‘‘gender identity’’ and ‘‘sexual orientation’’ claims are 

likely to be construed as a species of ‘‘sex’’ discrimination is supported by Prowel 

v. Wise Business Forms, Inc., 579 F.3d 285, 292 (3d Cir. 2009): ‘‘Wise [the employer] 

cannot persuasively argue that because Prowel is homosexual, he is precluded from 

bringing a gender stereotyping claim’’ (submitting the claim of a homosexual for employment discrimination to a jury trial under existing title VII law based on ‘‘sex’’ 

discrimination). The court also noted the ‘‘line between sexual orientation discrimination and discrimination ‘because of sex’ [the latter category having been extended 

to include ‘gender identity’ status under case law discussed below] can be difficult 

to draw.’’ Id. at 291. 

It is also noteworthy that the court in Prowel observed that much of the alleged 

harassment levied by co-workers (and endorsed by the company) regarding the 

plaintiffs’s effeminate conduct and mannerisms and which included criticism of his 

status as a homosexual, was religious in nature. Supra at 288 and 293. Yet the 

Third Circuit also concluded that despite this, the nature of this discrimination was 

not ‘‘religious discrimination’’ and therefore the plaintiff had no ‘‘religious discrimination’’ claim under title VII. Even though the plaintiff Prowel referenced allegedly 

discriminatory conduct expressly connected to the religious beliefs and expressions 

of his co-workers, the court concluded: ‘‘ . . . we cannot accept Prowel’s de facto invitation to hold that he was discriminated against ‘because of religion’ merely by virtue of his homosexuality.’’ Supra at 293. This necessarily means that if Prowel was 

employed by a religious organization, and the same adverse conduct occurred after 

the enactment of S. 811, the court would have found that the employer would not 

be entitled to a religious exemption, because the employer could not show that it 

was in fact a ‘‘religious organization . . . exempt from the religious discrimination 

provisions of title VII . . .’’ regarding the plaintiff ’s claim. If no ‘‘religious discrimination’’ took place in Prowel v. Wise Business Forms, Inc. under title VII before 

S. 811 is passed, neither would ‘‘religious discrimination’’ be found to have taken 

place, sufficient to invoke the ‘‘religious exemption’’ in section 6 for an employer, 
29 

1The sole exception, of course, being those claims relating to employment of ministers and 

other clergy under the ‘‘ministerial exception’’ vindicated in Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, et al.,lU.S.l, 

(2012). 2Gender Change Costs Dean a Job, InsideHigherEd.com, February 6, 2007. 3Spring Arbor and Transgender Dean Settle, InsideHigherEd.com, March 14, 2007. 4 As an additional complication, a secular court’s intense scrutiny of a religious employer’s beliefs on these issues would likely run afoul of the ‘‘excessive entanglement’’ prohibitions of the 

Establishment Clause. See: ‘‘Establishment Clause’’ discussion, infra. 

after passage of S. 811. This is true, because section 6 simply incorporates, wholesale, the existing religious discrimination exemption scheme of title VII, and the 

case law that has interpreted it. And under existing case law, religious employers 

receive no protection against ‘‘sex’’ discrimination lawsuits.1

Even further, on April 20, 2012, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 

(EEOC) rendered its decision in Macy v. Holder, Appeal No. 0120120821, officially 

recognizing ‘‘gender identity’’ discrimination claims by ‘‘transgender’’ individuals to 

qualify as ‘‘sex’’ discrimination under title VII. Thus, under title VII, except for disputes involving ‘‘minister’’ or other clergy type positions (see nt. 1 infra), such ‘‘sex’’ 

discrimination claims can be prosecuted against religious groups. Because S. 811 

simply incorporates the existing exemption scheme of title VII for religious groups, 

if this bill is passed, they will have no exemption regarding ‘‘gender identity’’ employment disputes, as several court decisions, and now the administrative decision 

of the EEOC, consider such claims to be a species of ‘‘sex’’ discrimination. And many 

of those types of suits will also be available for homosexual plaintiffs as well, under 

the reasoning of Prowel v. Wise Business Forms, Inc., supra. 

A religious organization recently faced this type of ‘‘gender identity’’ discrimination claim under existing employment discrimination law. A former dean and faculty 

member of Spring Arbor University, an institution affiliated with the Free Methodist Church, filed a claim based on ‘‘sex’’ discrimination because of alleged ‘‘gender 

identity’’ mistreatment by the university. The plaintiff, a male, underwent gender 

change counseling and as a result, started wearing women’s clothing, wearing makeup and painting his nails. When he was fired in the wake of religious objections 

from the Christian school, he filed an EEOC claim.2 Later, the discrimination claim 

was settled, with the plaintiff stating that by the terms of the settlement he considered himself to have been ‘‘treated with justice and fairness . . . ’’ 3 On the other 

hand many religious employers would probably prefer the kind of ‘‘justice and fairness’’ that comes from adequate legal protections from such lawsuits in the first 

place. And in that regard, S. 811 would provide little solace for them. 

I can envision that some future courts might seek to minimize this harsh and illogical result of section 6’s ‘‘religious exemption’’ being nullified by its own terms, 

through a variety of legal gymnastics, a direct consequence of section 6 ratcheting 

itself into an unwieldy and mismatched partnership with title VII’s religious exemption structure. For instance, courts might require, as an example, that a central 

issue involving the religious beliefs of the employee must be present in sexual orientation or gender identity cases before the ‘‘religious exemption’’ protections of section 6 could be triggered to protect the religious employer. Such reasoning could conceivably be justified by virtue of section 6’s wording that only employers who are 

‘‘exempt from the religious discrimination’’ [as opposed to sex or gender discrimination] provisions of title VII in given cases could be exempt under S. 811. What are 

the ‘‘religious discrimination provisions’’ of title VII, then, which Section 6 of S. 811 

refers to? Clearly, under prior precedent, courts are likely to hold that this wording 

of Section 6 of S. 811 refers to adverse employment decisions made by an employer 

because of the religion of the employee. But what if an employee of a religious organization declares that he is a homosexual, yet maintains that his religious opinions 

are otherwise consistent with the beliefs of the religious employer except for the single issue of ‘‘sexual orientation? ’’ If he is subsequently fired, would a court find that 

his discrimination claim is basically one based on ‘‘sex,’’ a position substantiated by 

court decisions and the EEOC, or would the court decide that it is fundamentally 

a claim about discrimination based on the employee’s ‘‘religion? ’’ 4

The uncertainty and complexity presented by this one scenario illustrates the burden imposed on the religious liberties of religious employers. After all, First Amendment rights of religious organizations can be fatally chilled when those groups must 

guess at how courts will construe their religious activities. ‘‘Nonetheless, it is a significant burden on a religious organization to require it, on pain of substantial liability, to predict which of its activities a secular court will consider [to be] religious.’’ Corporation of the Presiding Bishop v. Amos, 483 U.S. 327, 336 (1987). 
30 

FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGION

When a government law sweeps into its regulatory purview religious groups 

whose operations are thereby substantially and selectively burdened, and it fails to 

provide ample exemptions for those religious organizations, it violates the Free Exercise provisions of the First Amendment. Church of the Lakumi Babalu Aye v. Hialeah, 508 U.S. 520, 531–32 (1997). 

In the realm of private religious employers, broad and adequate exemptions for 

religious organizations are constitutionally imperative. Corporation of the Presiding 

Bishop v. Amos, 483 U.S. 327, 336 (1987) (holding that title VII religious exemptions 

do not collide with the Establishment Clause but are fully consistent with it). The 

principle expressed in Amos is clear: where attempted ‘‘exemptions’’ in discrimination laws are so unclear, confusing, or overly broad so as to cause religious organizations to speculate as whether they are sufficiently ‘‘religious’’ either in their structure or in their activities to qualify for the exemption, then the religious liberty provisions of the First Amendment are violated. Moreover, where a law is passed in 

the area of employment discrimination and it fails, as S. 811 does here, to provide 

a sufficiently adequate exemption for religious institutions regarding faith-based 

employment decisions it also violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. Montrose Christian School Corp. v. Carver, Montrose Christian School Corp. 

v. Walsh, 770 A.2d 111 (Md. Ct. App. 2001) (county employment discrimination code 

violated the Free Exercise rights of a private religious school by failing to provide 

a satisfactory, substantive exemption for it, the Court noting that 

‘‘[a] uniform line of cases apply[] this principle, namely that the free exercise 

guarantee limits governmental interference with the internal management of 

religious organizations . . .’’). 

The Free Exercise guarantee of the First Amendment reflects ‘‘a spirit of freedom 

for religious organizations, and independence from secular control or manipulation 

. . .’’ Kedroff v. St. Nicholas Cathedral of Russian Orthodox Church, 344 U.S. 94, 

116 (1952). 

ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE

The Establishment Clause prohibits excessive entanglement between government 

and religion. N.L.R.B. v. Catholic Bishop of Chicago, 440 U.S. 490 (1979) (exemption 

of religious schools from Federal National Labor Relations Board oversight). Walz 

v. Tax Commission, 397 U.S. 664 (tax exemption for religious groups wisely facilitates a ‘‘desired separation [of government from religion] insulating each from the 

other’’). Confusion has been created in the section 6 religious exemption of S. 811, 

as it attempts to exempt only those religious groups that would be exempt under 

title VII. But by doing that, section 6 will invite courts to engage in searching inquiries into the beliefs and doctrines of religious employers regarding homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, transgenderism and similar issues in an attempt to 

parse-out the scope of the religious exemption in section 6; i.e., to determine whether, under the provisions of S. 811 (which does expressly include sexual orientation 

and gender identity as categories for protection) a religious employer would, under 

the language of section 6, be ‘‘exempt from the religious discrimination provisions 

of title VII’’ (which does not expressly provide protections for sexual orientation or 

gender identity). This kind of apples-and-oranges incorporation of Title VII into Section 6 of S. 811 creates another world of uncertainty for religious organizations. 

One added concern is that Section 6 of S. 811, through its wholesale adoption by 

cross-reference to the title VII religious exemption scheme, has also incorporated 

title VII’s separate exemption provision for religious schools. Regarding religious 

schools that do not otherwise qualify, that exemption applies where the school can 

show that its curriculum is determined to have been ‘‘directed toward the propagation of a religion.’’ However, this is an intensely intrusive and unconstitutional inquiry for any secular court to undertake. A school seeking this exemption paradoxically would have to forfeit its private religious autonomy, in effect, in order to try 

to save it. When the government exercises an ‘‘official and continuing surveillance’’ 

over the internal operations of a religious institution, religious freedom under the 

First Amendment is jeopardized. Walz v. Tax Commission of the City of New York, 

397 U.S. 664, 675 (1970). A secular court may not review a religious body’s decisions 

on points of faith, discipline, or doctrine, Watson v. Jones, 80 U.S. 679 (1872), nor 

may it govern the affairs of religious organizations. Serbian E. Orthodox Diocese v. 

Milivojevich, 426 U.S. 696 (1976). 
31 

FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION

The First Amendment’s free association guarantee has been interpreted to mean 

that a discrimination law could not be used to force the Boy Scouts of America to 

employ a professed homosexual as an assistant scout leader. Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, 530 U.S. 640 (2000). And while Dale did involve a non-profit association as a party, and it addressed the groups ‘‘moral’’ (as opposed to religious) objections to 

homosexuality, the Supreme Court nowhere conditioned its reasoning on that fact 

that the Boy Scouts were a non-profit organization. Further, ‘‘moral’’ beliefs are not 

explicitly protected under the First Amendment as a stand-alone-right; rather they 

were protected in Dale because they were anchored to the Free Speech aspects of 

the right of association. By contrast, religion is given explicit protection in the First 

Amendment in its own right and therefore ought to receive even more protection 

than under the principles of the Dale case. This conclusion is buttressed by the decision in Hosanna-Tabor, supra: 

The EEOC and Perich [the plaintiff] thus see no need—and no basis—for a 

special rule for ministers grounded in the Religion Clauses themselves. We find 

this position untenable. The right to freedom of association is a right enjoyed 

by religious and secular groups alike. It follows under the EEOC’s and Perich’s 

view that the First Amendment analysis should be the same, whether the association in question is the Lutheran Church, a labor union, or a social club. . . . 

That result is hard to square with the text of the First Amendment itself, which 

gives special solicitude to the rights of religious organizations. 

Hosanna-Tabor, 132 S. Ct. 694, at 706. Private religious employers, like private 

associations, must be given the right to reject members or staff whose opinions 

would conflict with the religious organization’s declared mission and beliefs. A religious group has ‘‘the autonomy to choose the content of [its] own message.’’ Hurley v. Irish-American Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Group of Boston, 515 U.S. 557 (1995). 

SEC. 6 ADOPTS A PATTERN OF INCONSISTENT COURT DECISIONS

By bootstrapping title VII’s religious exemption language into Sec. 6, the ENDA 

bill, S. 811, subjects religious organizations to a crazy-quilt of inconsistent decisions 

that have been rendered by the courts in construing the exemption language of title 

VII. This approach will stultify and confuse religious groups and lead to endless, expensive, and harassing litigation. 

Title VII (42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e et seq.) provides in part: 

This title . . . shall not apply to . . . a religious corporation, association, educational institution, or society with respect to the employment of individuals of 

a particular religion to perform work connected with the carrying on by such 

corporation, association, educational institution, or society of its activities. 

Unfortunately, Congress ‘‘did not define what constitutes a religious organization, 

‘a religious corporation, association, educational institution, or society’ ’’ under title 

VII. Spencer v. World Vision, Inc. 570 F. Supp. 2d 1279, 1283 (W.D. Wash. 2008). 

As a result, ‘‘courts conduct a factual inquiry and weigh ‘[a]ll significant religious 

and secular characteristics . . .’ ’’ Id. (citations omitted). 

What has resulted is a sad pattern of inconsistent and complex decisions which 

render very scant religious freedom to faith groups but which have sent a chilling 

pall over their activities not to mention their budgets: Leboon v. Lancaster Jewish 

Community Center Association, 503 F. 3d 217 (3d Cir. 2007) (Jewish Community 

Center qualified as a religious organization so that its firing of a Christian was nonactionable under title VII); but compare: EEOC v. Townley Eng’g & Mfg. Co., 859 

F. 2d 610 (9th Cir. 1988) (no exemption for a small, closely held manufacturing shop 

whose owner had a clearly Christian world view and wanted it to permeate the 

work place). A Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to ministering to the 

needs of poverty-stricken children and families around the world was entitled to 

take adverse employment actions against an employee because of that person’s religion because it qualified for exemption under title VII (Spencer v. World Vision, Inc., 

supra); but a Methodist orphan’s home dedicated to instilling in orphaned children 

Christian beliefs was held not to be qualified as a ‘‘religious corporation . . .’’, etc. 

where it had a temporary period of more secular leadership which was then followed 

by return to its original spiritual mission, Fike v. United Methodist Children’s Home 

of Virginia, Inc. 547 F. Supp. 286 (E.D. Va. 1982). Further compare: Feldstein v. 

Christian Science Monitor, 555 F. Supp. 974 (D. Mass. 1983) (newspaper covering 

secular news but with close relationship with the Christian Science Church was allowed to discriminate on basis of religion). 

The legal tests employed by the courts in deciding religious exemptions under title 

VII are complex and discordant. The 9th Circuit has employed a complicated six- 
32 

factor test. Spencer, supra at 570 F. Supp. 2d 1284. Whereas the 6th Circuit has 

applied an even more complex nine-factor test. Id. at 1285–86. In addition, the 9th 

Circuit has construed the religious exemption narrowly, whereas the 3d Circuit has 

not. Id. 

The chances that the religious exemption in Sec. 6 of S. 811 would be given a very 

narrow, cramped interpretation are substantial. Where general discrimination laws 

collide with sincerely held religious beliefs, religion often loses. See: Bob Jones University v. U.S., 461 U.S. 574 (1983) (private religious college loses its tax exempt 

status as a non-profit religious corporation because, while it admitted students from 

all races, its inter-racial dating rules were found to violate a national public policy 

regarding discrimination). In Bob Jones University the Supreme Court could only 

muster a meager reference to the religious school’s Free Exercise rights, holding 

that the compelling interest of the government in stamping out discrimination outweighed ‘‘whatever burden’’ was caused to the organization’s freedom of religion. Id. 

at 604. To the extent that ‘‘sexual preference’’ or ‘‘gender identity’’ discrimination 

are likened by the courts to racial discrimination, religious organizations will find 

little comfort under Sec. 6 of S. 811. See also Swanner v. Anchorage Equal Rights 

Commission,lU.S.l, 115 S. Ct. 460 (1994) (Thomas, J., dissenting) where the Supreme Court denied certiorari and declined the chance to vindicate the rights of a 

landlord who had been successfully sued for State housing discrimination where he 

refused on religious grounds to rent to unmarried couples. 

Title VII grants a separate exemption specifically for religious schools. 42 U.S.C. 

§§ 2000e–2 (e)(2) provides exemption for such religious institutions provided that 

they are at least ‘‘in substantial part-owned, supported, controlled, or managed by 

a particular religion or by a particular religious corporation, association, or society 

. . .’’ or where the curriculum ‘‘is directed toward the propagation of a religion.’’ 

But here again the resulting court interpretations there have been just as dismal: 

EEOC v. Kamehameha School/Bishop Estate, 990 F.2d 458 (9th Cir. 1993), cert. denied, 114 S. Ct. 439 (1993) (private Protestant religious school was denied title VII 

religious exemption even though it had numerous religious characteristics and activities); Pime v. Loyola University of Chicago, 585 F. Supp. 435 (N.D. Ill. 

1984)(Catholic college held not to be entitled to religious exemption relating to its 

preference for Jesuit professors over a Jewish professor), reversed on other grounds 

at 803 F.2d 351 (7th Cir. 1986)(where Judge Posner noted in his concurrence that, 

regarding the religious exemption issue, ‘‘the statute itself does not answer it,’’ and 

‘‘the legislative history . . . is inconclusive,’’ Id. at 357). Contrast with: Hall v. Baptist Memorial Care Corp., 215 F. 3d 618 (6th Cir. 2000) (Baptist entity training students for health care had sufficiently religious overtones to qualify for exemption regarding its firing of a lesbian staffer who was a minister at a pro-homosexual 

church). 

NRB’s membership includes numerous Christian radio stations that are commercial in their organizational structure. Considering the chilly reception such commercial religious entities receive by the courts when they are other than non-profit corporations, they can expect to be shut out of the exemption language of S. 811. We 

can add to that list other for-profit groups whose mission is distinctly Christian in 

nature but who will be denied exemption: Christian publishers, religious media consulting groups and agencies, food vendors who work exclusively with Christian 

schools, Christian-oriented bookstores, adoption agencies, counseling centers, and 

drug rehab facilities. 

CONFUSION REGARDING THE F.C.C.’S EEO JURISDICTION

Currently, the Federal Communications Commission has promulgated EEO rules 

regarding broadcast licensees. An exemption is provided for a ‘‘religious broadcaster’’ 

regarding all employment decisions impacting religious belief, but they still must 

abide by a non-discrimination standard respecting ‘‘race . . . or gender.’’ Review of 

the Commission’s Broadcast and Cable Equal Employment Opportunity Rules and 

Policies, 17 FCC Rcd. 24018 (2002) (‘‘EEO Order’’), paragraphs 50, 128. 

Would S. 811 supersede the regulations of the F.C.C regarding the employment 

activities of broadcasters? We simply do not know. The only help we have in answering that comes from a sparse comment in The King’s Garden, Inc. v. F.C.C., 498 

F. 2d 51, 53 (D.C. Cir. 1974) (F.C.C. is justified in pursuing its own EEO regulations 

against religious broadcasters where ‘‘Congress has given absolutely no indication 

that it wished to impose the [title VII] exemption upon the F.C.C.’’). Nothing in the 

language of S. 811 gives us any congressional intent to regulate broadcasters. On the 

other hand, would this new legislation be held to regulate those broadcasters that 

do not qualify for the F.C.C.’s definition of a ‘‘religious broadcaster?’’ The F.C.C. has 

generated a ‘‘totality of the circumstances’’ test for what is, or is not, a ‘‘religious 
33 

5 John Jay’s ‘‘Charge to the Grand Jury of Ulster County,’’ April 20, 1777 cited in Henry P. 

Johnston, ed., The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay 1745–1826, (New York: Da 

Capo Press, 1971), Volt. I, page 163. 6 ‘‘The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men,’’ delivered at Princeton on May 17, 

1776, from The Selected Writings of John Witherspoon, edited by Thomas Miller (Carbondale, 

IL.: Southern Illinois University Press 1990), page 147. 

broadcaster’’ that differs from the title VII language. S. 811 exponentially increases 

the uncertainty regarding which law applies. Furthermore, would ‘‘gender identity’’ 

protections under S. 811 be viewed as the same, or different from the requirement 

imposed by the F.C.C. that even religious broadcasters not discriminate on the basis 

of ‘‘gender?’’ Again, such uncertainties only ratchet-up the probability that the religious liberties of Christian broadcasters and communicators will be chilled as they 

try to speculate what the law actually provides and what their rights really are. 

SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY ARE CURRENTLY PROTECTED

WITHOUT S. 811

S. 811 declares that the ‘‘purposes of his Act’’ are in part ‘‘to provide . . . meaningful and effective remedies’’ for ‘‘employment discrimination on the basis of sexual 

orientation or gender identity.’’ Section 2, Purposes, paragraph (1). However, S. 811 

appears to ignore the fact that remedies already exist in Federal employment law. 

In addition to the new rule pronouncement by the EEOC in Macy v. Holder, courts 

have construed title VII to provide ‘‘gender stereotyping’’ discrimination protection 

for homosexuals or persons of non-heterosexual gender identity under existing ‘‘sex 

discrimination’’ provisions. Prowel v. Wise Business Forms, Inc., 579 F.3d 285, 292 

(3d Cir. 2009); Smith v. City of Salem, OH, 378 F.3d 566 (6th Cir. 2004); Schwenk 

v. Hartford, 204 F.3d 1187 (9th Cir. 2000); Rosa v. Park W. Bank & Trust Co., 214 

F.3d 213, 215–16 (1st Cir. 2000); Glenn v. Brumby, 663 F.3d 1312 (11th Cir. 2011). 

CONCLUSION

S. 811 is the result of a public debate over legal protections for sexual orientation 

and gender identity. But when we consider the sweep of American history, that debate is of very recent vintage. Compare, by contrast, the long-standing recognition 

in our Nation that religious liberty is a foundational right and that government 

should have few occasions to invade it. In fact, that concept of religious freedom predates the Constitution. America’s first Supreme Court Chief Justice, John Jay, a 

decade before the constitutional convention, described the notion of free exercise of 

religion this way: ‘‘. . . Adequate security is also given to the rights of conscience 

and private judgment. They are by nature subject to no control but that of the 

Deity, and in that free situation they are now left. Every man is permitted to consider, to adore, and to worship his Creator in the manner most agreeable to his conscience.’’ 5

John Witherspoon, a member of the Continental Congress and signer of the Declaration of Independence was an evangelical minister who also served as President 

of the College of New Jersey (later renamed Princeton). His students at that school 

included future signers of the Declaration of Independence as well as delegates to 

the constitutional convention. James Madison was one of them. Witherspoon recognized the inherent relationship between civil liberty and religious freedom and when 

assaults came against either, both must rally in support of the other. He stated the 

matter well when he said in the paradigm of a prayer: 

‘‘God grant that in America true religion and civil liberty may be inseparable 

and that unjust attempts to destroy the one, may in the issue tend to the support and establishment of both.’’ 6

S. 811 represents an assault on these historical notions of religious freedom. Time 

and the deliberative decisions of this Senate will determine whether the idea behind 

John Witherspoon’s prayer will be honored. We urge this committee not to jettison 

the rights of people of faith, turn them into lesser privileges, or reduce them to a 

mere miniature of the concept that our Founder’s advanced. If that happens here, 

it would mean that we have set ourselves on a very dangerous path, a radical departure from those basic liberties for which our Founders risked their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Mr. Parshall. 

We will start a round of 5 minute questions for our witnesses. 

First, I want to start with Mr. Broadus. We have heard statistics 

regarding the high level of discrimination that gay, lesbian, and 
34 

transgender Americans face. Again, I want to thank you for coming 

here today, sharing your personal experiences, putting a human 

face on this. We must always remember that behind these statistics are real people like you that, unfortunately, are too often not 

being judged by qualifications and skills, but by who you are. I 

have to imagine that your personal story is not unique through 

your work with the Coalition. 

Can you tell us about encountering others who similarly have 

found themselves victims of discrimination with no legal recourse? 

Mr. BROADUS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

And yes, I can. I get calls every single day of transgender Americans that are unemployed that have been discriminated against in 

the workplace. One of the most recent is a young woman who finally gets the job after being pushed around for several months. 

They keep her in the back. She is fine with that. She wants a job. 

Then she gets promoted, she is a good employee, by the general 

manager who had not seen her yet. Then he comes and she is immediately terminated once he sees her because he does not fit her 

expectation of what a female should look like. 

Others are people that are harassed daily from not being able to 

use the bathroom in the workplace, to being harassed by what they 

look like, what they do not look like, having coworkers with epithets at them constantly, having supervisors that affirm those epithets. And it is horrendous to hear the stories that I hear on a 

daily basis of what people suffer and encounter to be employed to 

maintain a living for themselves and their family. So those are just 

a couple of the examples that are out there. 

But it is overwhelming that these claims I hear every single day 

by somebody. And it does not matter where they live, it does not 

have to be mid-Missouri, I hear from people all over the United 

States. 

The CHAIRMAN. Well Mr. Broadus, again, thank you for being 

here. 

Earlier versions of ENDA did not include transgender individuals. This one does and I think we have become more aware that 

there is a gross discrimination against transgender people in our 

country. 

I thank you for coming here and adding some more information 

that we need as a committee. 

Miss Badgett, Dr. Badgett, I want to ask you. One of the suggestions of the critics of ENDA suggests that there will be a flood of 

litigation if this bill is adopted. But you said in your testimony that 

lawsuits had about the same frequency as others. 

Could you just expand on that a little bit more? 

Ms. BADGETT. Yes, we are able to see that the numbers of complaints are actually quite low when you compare the sexual orientation complaints to the race and gender, the race and sex, and 

disability complaints, and other complaints by other protected 

groups in the States that include sexual orientation in their nondiscrimination laws. And so right off the bat, just those raw numbers suggest that there are not going to be large numbers of complaints. 

And yet, once we adjust them for the size of those populations, 

and I said as I recall, about 5 people per 10,000 lesbian, gay, and 
35 

bisexual people in a given State would file a complaint, on average, 

each year. If we looked at women in those States, it was also about 

5 per 10,000 women. If we looked at people of color, it was about 

6.5 per person of color in those States. 

There are very similar rates to suggest that discrimination is an 

across the board phenomenon still, and that is why we have to 

have laws like this to give people recourse. And as suggested, 

LGBT people are as vulnerable as many of those other protected 

groups, and yet, it is not a flood of complaints. It is a number that 

you would expect, given the size of the lesbian, gay, and bisexual, 

and if we include transgender people, the population size is relatively small, so the numbers of complaints will not be huge. 

The CHAIRMAN. Very good. 

Last, Mr. Charles, critics complain that passage of this bill will 

lead to costly accommodations or, as I said, needless litigation. Now 

your company has been operating under a policy for years, and in 

the State of Minnesota with a strong antidiscrimination law. 

What has been your experience about costly accommodations and 

needless litigation with General Mills? 

Mr. CHARLES. Mr. Chairman, that has not been our experience 

at all. As you have mentioned, we are from a State that has provided protection, both based on sexual orientation and gender identity, for a number of years. We have not seen significant litigation 

or had to invest in significant accommodations. 

The tools of human resources are very simple: communication, 

preparation and with those, we have been able to align our personnel so that all of our employees can be respected and valued. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Mr. Charles. My time is up. 

I have in order: Senator Merkley, Senator Franken, Senator Bennet, and Senator Casey. 

Senator Merkley. 

Senator MERKLEY. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank 

you to all of you for your testimony. 

Miss Badgett, the Chair raised a question about the frequency of 

lawsuits, and I think you responded to that with the national perspective. In Oregon, we have about 2,000 cases a year related to 

employment discrimination. Of those, an average of about 40, so 

basically 1 out of 50, have been transgender or sexual identity most 

of them related to male-female, if you will, race and so forth. 

Does that 1 out of 50 fall into about the same category that you 

were referring to or slightly different? 

Ms. BADGETT. Thank you. It does sound very proportional. Doing 

math in front of members of the Senate is always a tricky thing. 

But thinking about the size of the LGB population, that is more or 

less what you would expect to see, I think. That definitely would 

fall into the range that we found in our study. 

Senator MERKLEY. Thank you very much. And I must say, I have 

not heard any businesses come back to the State legislature or 

come back to those of us who were involved at the time in expressing a concern that this created a flood of lawsuits because it has 

not been found. 

Professor Bagenstos, you have years of experience with employment law both as a senior member of the Justice Department Civil 

Rights Division and as an academic. 
36 

Can you re-state, if you will, your understanding about whether 

it is necessary to pass ENDA in order to effectively counter discrimination in the workplace? 

Mr. BAGENSTOS. I think it absolutely is. At the moment, there is 

no clear Federal remedy for the very extensive discrimination 

against lesbians, gays, bisexual, and transgender individuals in the 

workplace. And in most States in the Union, there is no State remedy either. 

So it is absolutely necessary to pass this law, and all this law 

would do, would be to add sexual orientation and gender identity 

to the bases of non-discrimination in our well-established workplace discrimination laws. 

Senator MERKLEY. There are some who have criticized ENDA 

saying that it would force businesses to create a quota system in 

order to, if you will, protect themselves. We have not seen that in 

Oregon, that concern did not materialize. 

But as you look out, in terms of the national experience, would 

ENDA require employers to set up a quota system for the LGBT 

community or otherwise implement affirmative action policies? 

Mr. BAGENSTOS. Not only would ENDA not require it or encourage it, it actually prohibits employers from establishing quotas. 

There is a specific provision in the statute that would do that. 

Senator MERKLEY. Thank you very much. 

Mr. Broadus, thank you for your testimony. This is very important to have direct experience from the frontline. 

One of the individuals who helped illuminate this issue in Oregon is a woman, Laura Calvo, who was a transgender person who 

hid her identity to keep her job with the sheriff ’s department. For 

15 years, she worked for the sheriff ’s department. At one point, she 

was named Deputy of the Year. She loved this job, but when she 

stopped hiding her transgender identity, she was fired. The challenges she went through were very much like the ones you described, and I think this story is repeated across the country. 

Is it fair to say that the results of discrimination have a very direct and substantial impact on one’s pursuit of life, liberty, and the 

pursuit of happiness, if you will? 

Mr. BROADUS. Thank you, Senator. 

And yes, I totally agree. People lose their career. It is over once 

people find out you are transgender, if you choose not to hide it. 

It also, if you choose to hide, it limits your productivity as Mr. 

Charles indicated before, because you are so fixated on pretending 

to be somebody that you are not. And then the lasting longevity of 

the emotional scars if you suffer the discrimination in the workplace, as well as the economic scars, which I still extremely struggle with, are just phenomenal. 

One of my things that I share with people is that my student 

loan debt has quadrupled since I have left school because of the unemployment and the underemployment. And I sit here, almost a 

50-year-old man wondering what I am going to do, and other people are in a much worse position than I. 

Senator MERKLEY. Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. I want to followup on that student loan issue. 

Senator FRANKEN. Do you want to do it now? 
37 

The CHAIRMAN. Senator Franken, no that is OK. Go ahead, Senator Franken. 

STATEMENT OF SENATOR FRANKEN

Senator FRANKEN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding today’s 

hearing on this issue that affects so many Americans. I want to 

thank all the witnesses for your testimony today. 

Because I feel so strongly about ENDA, I end up having conversations about it pretty regularly. People are often surprised to 

learn that Minnesota passed a law in 1993 that adds protections 

based on sexual orientation and gender identity to our human 

rights act. It was the first law of its kind in our Nation. 

Since then, many States have followed suit, so all of us who live 

in those States, Iowa where the Chairman lives, and Oregon where 

Senator Merkley lives, Rhode Island, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington, Vermont, I think we can all personally attest that in our 

States the sky has not fallen. In fact, at least in Minnesota, our 

State is basically the same as it was before this law was passed 

in one small exception. About 20 or so people per year exercise 

their rights under this law. That is it. That is all; 20. 

We still have many Fortune 500 companies based in our State 

like General Mills. I think actually more per capita than any other 

State. Most Minnesotans still go to church. We are still all entitled 

to our own personal opinion, but LGBT workers are protected from 

discrimination at work. 

We can extend these common sense protections to all workers by 

passing ENDA. So again, thank you, Mr. Chairman, for this critical 

hearing. 

Mr. Charles, thank you so much for being here today, for your 

testimony. As I mentioned earlier, I am very proud of Minnesota 

and our legacy of providing protections to LGBT workers. 

Critics of ENDA allege that this legislation will raise the lawsuit 

costs or cause accommodation issues for businesses. I know that 

Senator Merkley asked you this, but this has not been an issue for 

General Mills, has it? 

Mr. CHARLES. Not at all. Again, it has absolutely not been an 

issue for us. 

Frequently we talk about the cost of this legislation in terms of 

accommodations and potential litigation. There is a real cost that 

all U.S. companies are paying right now in terms of loss of engagement when employees are in fear, loss of productivity when they 

cannot concentrate on bringing their whole self to their work every 

day, and loss of talent because of these artificial barriers to entry. 

It is our opinion that these are not in the best interest of General 

Mills, the companies in Minnesota, or the companies across the 

United States. 

Senator FRANKEN. Let me go to Professor Bagenstos or Professor 

Badgett on exactly that. 

Is either of you familiar with the working paper by Peter, I think 

it is, Klenow and his colleagues called, ‘‘The Allocation of Talent?’’ 

In it, a group of economists describe their research and the surprising finding. Between 1960 and 2008, between 17 and 20 percent of U.S. economic growth could be attributed to gains made 

from women and people of color entering professional occupations, 
38 

and making better use of their talent. That is pretty stunning that 

workplace discrimination could have such a significant impact on 

our economy. The researchers cautioned that this is just a rough 

estimate, so we will keep that in mind. 

But would you expect that a parallel economic argument could be 

made in regard to workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity? This is for either of you. 

Ms. BADGETT. That is always a dangerous thing. 

Yes, I do believe that the same kind of effect that we have seen 

in terms of our other sort of commitments to non-discrimination, 

the contributions they have made to the economy have been real, 

and I think we would see the same kinds of things happening. 

I mean, just taking Mr. Broadus’ experience as an example of the 

difference that that can make. The fear, the need to manage one’s 

stigmatized identity as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender person takes away from the work that people could be doing to better 

understand the work, how to do the work that they do, how to work 

with the people that they work with, as opposed to hiding. 

So we know that there are many LGBT people today who still 

are not out to many of their coworkers, and the fact that they 

are—— 

Senator FRANKEN. It is what Mr. Charles said about bringing 

your full self to work. 

Ms. BADGETT. Yes, yes. So that it remains an issue and we know 

that that is affected by having a non-discrimination policy where 

employees feel more comfortable, they are more likely to be who 

they are to be out as LGBT people, and people who are out are 

more satisfied with their jobs. They have lower levels of anxiety. 

They are less likely to be thinking about leaving their job, and all 

of those have a tremendous economic effect. 

Just to take the turn over example, there are many studies that 

will also give you a range of estimates as to how much it costs 

when you lose a worker that you have trained, but they are all in 

the tens of thousands of dollars. So losing a single employee because they are LGBT, and not comfortable in the workplace, and 

have other options is something that will definitely cost companies 

money. 

Senator FRANKEN. My time is up. I had wanted to ask Mr. 

Bagenstos and Mr. Parshall to sort of reconcile their differences. It 

probably would not have happened within—— 

Mr. PARSHALL. You never know, Senator. 

Senator FRANKEN [continuing]. The 3 seconds I thought I had. I 

do have to go to the Judiciary Committee, but I will do that on 

paper. The record will be open for another week, as I understand 

it. But I want to thank you all for your testimony on this very important issue. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman for holding this. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

Senator FRANKEN. Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. I guess I was surprised to learn you were a 

Cheerios person. I thought you were more of a Lucky Charms kind 

of guy. 

[Laughter.] 

I did not know that. 
39 

Senator FRANKEN. I am not Irish. I am Jewish, and we are famous for loving Cheerios. 

[Laughter.] 

The CHAIRMAN. We are joined by Senator Murray, also a co-sponsor of the bill. 

Senator Murray. 

STATEMENT OF SENATOR MURRAY

Senator MURRAY. Thank you very much, Chairman Harkin. 

I also want to thank all of our witnesses who are here today to 

talk about this very important issue. 

I really believe that all Americans deserve to feel secure in their 

workplace, and discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity should not be tolerated in this country. There are currently 16 States, including my home State of Washington, that 

have active statutes that prohibit discrimination, and as we know, 

another 5 States bar discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation alone. 

I am really proud to say that back in 2006, our Washington State 

legislature enacted a bill called Washington Law Against Discrimination that added protection from discrimination based on sexual 

orientation and gender identity to our State’s civil rights laws. And 

it was a giant step forward for the civil rights of Washington State 

workers. 

These State laws do provide important protections and should be 

commended, but employers in a majority of States can still fire, 

refuse to hire, or otherwise discriminate against individuals because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Sadly, this discrimination is happening in workplaces across our country and we 

have heard some of the stories from the panel today. It really is 

time to put a stop to this kind of discrimination once and for all, 

because it is unacceptable. 

I am very proud that I am an original co-sponsor of this important legislation that will demand that employers evaluate the performance of an employee on the basis of their work, not on their 

sexual orientation. 

This legislation has bipartisan support. There is no reason it cannot be passed quickly through our committee. We need to work together, I believe, to strengthen protections for our workers and ensure an environment of equality at workplaces in America. 

I really appreciate you having this hearing today, and I want to 

thank all of our witnesses who are here. I did have a couple of 

questions I wanted to ask. 

Mr. Charles, I wanted to ask you, you and others have testified 

that nearly 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies include sexual orientation in their non-discrimination policies, and 50 percent also 

include gender identity. 

As a representative of one of those companies, can you comment 

on why it is important for employers like General Mills to have inclusive workplace policies? Is it good for business? 

Mr. CHARLES. Thank you, Senator. 

As I have said before, it is absolutely critical that employees are 

able to bring their full self to work every day. It has been our experience that when employees can be their genuine, authentic selves, 
40 

their engagement, their productivity, and the innovation that they 

bring to the table is significantly increased. That allows our organizations to grow and thrive. It is the bedrock of our success. Talent 

is the key to everything that we do and we believe that ENDA will 

unleash the potential of thousands and millions of employees to be 

able to be their full selves. 

Senator MURRAY. I appreciate that. And do you think General 

Mills’ model could be replicated by other companies? 

Mr. CHARLES. Absolutely. We already live in a place where 87 

percent of the Fortune 500 are providing appropriate protections. 

We believe that companies that do provide those protections outperform those that do not. 

While we recognize that we are large organizations, we believe 

that this is a model that can be replicated throughout corporate 

America regardless of the size of the business. It is as simple as 

talking to your employees, talking to other companies that have already gone down the road, and leveraging experts like HRC to provide guidance and insight on how to effectively introduce this sort 

of thing into your workplace. 

Senator MURRAY. Very good. I appreciate that very much. 

Mr. Broadus, I wanted to ask you. I have heard from many 

transgender constituents who have had similar experiences to 

yours. One constituent in particular was fired from her job after 29 

years for what she believed was largely due to her transition from 

a male to a female. 

I wanted to ask you today what your experience has been, what 

effect your experience has had on you both financially and emotionally. 

Mr. BROADUS. It has been extremely tolling and it is still very 

emotional for me to talk about this issue in a personal way. I suffer 

posttraumatic stress. I lost an extremely well paying position and 

career, and have never been able to recover financially as well. I 

mentioned earlier, my student loan debt has quadrupled, and it is 

unbelievable. 

I would have never fathomed in my whole life growing up where 

I grew up and believed that you just work hard, you go to work 

every day, you do the right thing, and the rest will follow that my 

life would have ended up this way because I was a stellar employee. I still have all my job reviews in my garage in a box because it was so demoralizing and dehumanizing to be let go. 

I mean, for 73⁄4 years, I was a great and stellar employee, and 

then once I announced, which was already what was visible to the 

rest of the world because I was just being me, it ended very rapidly. And overnight, I became a lazy, shiftless, all these sorts of 

things just literally overnight once announcing transition and it 

was a quick break to the end at that point. I know many others 

that suffer the same thing, and it will go with me to my grave. 

Senator MURRAY. Well, thank you very much for your courage 

both in going through what you have gone through, but also sharing it with everybody else, and giving us a face to identify with 

what is really an important issue in this country today. It’s important to make sure that every person in this country has the ability 

to live up to their potential. It is better for our economy, it is better 
41 

for our businesses, it is better for our country. So thank you very 

much for your courage. 

Mr. BROADUS. Senator, thank you. 

Senator MURRAY. Absolutely. 

And thank you, Mr. Chairman. I hope we can move this bill expeditiously. 

The CHAIRMAN. I hope so. Thank you, Senator Murray. 

I would, at this point, want to insert into the record a letter that 

we received just today from nearly 90 corporations supporting this 

bill, S. 811; 90 different corporations that are listed here. I just 

want you to know that General Mills is on the list, OK. 

[Laughter.] 

But companies all over America that everyone would recognize. 

So I ask consent that that be inserted in the record. 

[The information referred to may be found in Additional Material.] 

The CHAIRMAN. I also want to followup a little bit on what Senator Franken said about, not Minnesota, Iowa in 2007, 14 years 

later after Minnesota; I hate to admit that. But in 2007, we passed 

our employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation 

or gender identity for all businesses with four or more employees. 

Prior to the passage of the law, several cities, several major employers had already had company policies protecting gay, lesbians, 

and transgendered employees from discrimination. But the point I 

want to make, Professor Badgett, is that Iowa shows the concerns 

regarding ENDA are not borne out by actual experience. 

For example, one of the complaints is, as I raised earlier, about 

costly litigation and extensive litigation. In fact last year, of 1,539 

total employment discrimination complaints to the Iowa Civil 

Rights Commission only 74, 4.8 percent were based on sexual orientation, and only 14, 0.9 percent were based on gender identity. 

Again, not an explosion of lawsuits based upon a law that we just 

passed in 2007. 

So I think, again, that bears out that there is this idea that there 

is going to be an explosion of litigation just is not borne out by our 

experience in Iowa. 

Mr. Bagenstos, let us get to this issue before we adjourn here. 

There have been, recently, several successful suits holding that, for 

example, discrimination based on gender identity is actionable 

under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 

What do you say to those who say that title VII is enough to address the problem and ENDA is not necessary? Second, ENDA has 

a very broad religious exemption based on the exemption that exists in title VII, yet we have heard the criticism that this bill is 

an attack on religious liberties. Do you think religious liberty of religious organizations is at risk under this bill? 

Mr. BAGENSTOS. Thank you. Let me answer as to whether title 

VII is enough to address these problems first, and I think the answer to that is clearly no. 

There is some case law in some circuits that applies title VII 

under a sex stereotyping theory to certain cases involving LGBT individuals. But as you also see in the circuits that have applied that 

case law, the courts work very hard to draw a line between discrimination that is based on sex stereotypes versus discrimination 
42 

that is based on sexual orientation or gender identity. They say the 

first kind is in. It is covered under title VII. The second kind is out. 

This leads to a great deal of uncertainty. 

This means that even in some of the circuit courts where LGBT 

plaintiffs have won some cases and they end up losing others. And, 

of course, in most of the circuits, they have not moved forward even 

to that extent. 

So there is a need for a comprehensive, clear, Federal standard 

that applies across the country. 

As to the religious exemption, the religious exemption in this bill, 

I think it is very important to respond to Mr. Parshall here, because he does accurately describe at least the stages of the analysis 

under title VII. He says there are two stages of the analysis under 

title VII. 

First, is this entity the kind of entity that gets the religious exemption? And second, is the discrimination at issue discrimination 

based on religion? 

But under ENDA, under section 6 of the bill before this committee, there is only one stage, the first stage of that analysis, and 

that is why none of the problems with respect that Mr. Parshall 

is identifying are really problems with this bill. 

Under ENDA as it appears before this committee, the only question is: is this entity the kind of religious institution that would get 

an exemption from discrimination on the basis of religion under 

title VII? Once we decide that this is a religious corporation, a religious association, educational institution, or society, for example, 

that is the end of the matter. That institution gets an exemption 

under ENDA, period, from discrimination on the basis of gender 

identity or sexual orientation. 

Now, there is a very, very extensive body of case law determining 

what is a religious corporation, association, educational institution, 

or society. What are the organizations that are covered by title 

VII’s religious exemption? Like any legal test, you know, there are 

sometimes cases at the edges, but employers have over 40 years of 

case law to enable them to understand what is covered and what 

is not covered here. And there is no particular reason to believe 

that under ENDA, there would be any difficulty in understanding 

what the scope of the application of that exemption will be. 

Mr. PARSHALL. Mr. Chairman, may I respond? Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. Yes, in fact, I was going to turn to you for response on this. Mr. Parshall. 

Mr. PARSHALL. I think we are down, and I am glad to hear that 

we are down to what, I think, is the analytical—of the difference, 

in my opinion, from Professor Bagenstos. 

And that is that he believes that at least the intent and perhaps 

the letter of the exemption applies just to prong No. 1, which is, 

what type of organization is it in terms of its religious structure? 

And that is it. Once you analyze that under title VII, then you are 

either in or you are out. 

The reason that I think that that is not an appropriate evaluation of the way that section 6 would really work in the real world 

is because if you look at section 6, it says, ‘‘This Act will not apply 

to those organizations, religious corporations,’’ and so forth, ‘‘That 

are exempted from the religious discrimination provisions.’’ 
43 

In order to be exempted from religious discrimination provisions, 

you must have both prongs, not one. And the second prong is the 

problem prong because it deals with a decision by a religious employer about the religion of the employee. Now, there is a case cited 

in my written testimony, Prowel v. Wise Business Forms case 2009. 

It was relatively recent involving an employee who was homosexual 

and he was criticized. The claim was a sex stereotyping claim because he did not really declare himself to be homosexual until 

later. 

But he was criticized as an apparent or perceived homosexual 

and the objections he cites are predominantly religious. But the 

Third Circuit looked at it and said, ‘‘This is not a case of religious 

discrimination. It is a case of sex discrimination.’’ And that is what 

I am afraid will happen with the courts as they try to parse and 

apply section 6. 

Mr. BAGENSTOS. Mr. Chairman, might I reply. 

The CHAIRMAN. Well, we are getting in this. Mr. Bagenstos for 

your reply and then Mr. Parshall, and then we will end it there. 

OK. This could go on forever. 

Mr. BAGENSTOS. We could go on for a long time, I see, so let me 

just try to be very brief. 

So what section 6 says is, ‘‘This Act shall not apply to a corporation, association,’’ et cetera, ‘‘That is exempt from the religious discrimination provisions of title VII.’’ 

The CHAIRMAN. That is right. 

Mr. BAGENSTOS. If it is the kind of corporation, association, educational institution, or institution of learning that is exempt from 

the religious discrimination provisions of title VII by this text, it 

is exempt from the sexual orientation and gender identity prohibitions of ENDA, period. There is nothing in here that says, ‘‘You 

have to decide whether discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is religion or is sex.’’ 

The whole point of this statute is to avoid that question. That 

was the very first part, Mr. Chairman, of your question to me. 

Under title VII, the only way that people who are LGBT are protected is by bringing claims under sex discrimination. But this statute would avoid that. This statute is purely a separate cause of action for gender identity and sexual orientation discrimination, and 

it would exempt—and there are people, the ACLU, for example, 

has criticized the breadth of this exemption—it would exempt any 

institution that is covered by the religious exemption to title VII. 

Period. 

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Parshall. 

Mr. PARSHALL. Thank you, Chairman. 

If we go to the real world and we postulate a scenario where, let 

us say, you have a Christian bookstore, a large one so it comes 

within title VII. And you have an employee who has just been 

hired and then a month after he comes in, and he was hired as a 

man and he comes in dressed as a woman. He says, ‘‘Look, I am 

in a gender transition.’’ And the owner of the Christian bookstore, 

I am going to say it is a for-profit, but it is a Christian bookstore 

says, ‘‘Well, I am sorry. That is inconsistent with our religious beliefs,’’ and the person is terminated, and they bring a claim under 

Senate bill 811. What would happen? 
44 

The employee would come in and say, ‘‘Look, when I signed on, 

I agreed with your mission statement.’’ You know, ‘‘All the basics 

of the Christian faith, who Jesus Christ was, who died for our sins. 

I believe in Him,’’ and so forth. ‘‘It is just that you and I differ on 

this issue of gender identity. That is all.’’ And the employer says, 

‘‘Well, this is a substantial burden on us.’’ 

He goes to a court, and the judge has to now decide: is this a 

case of religious discrimination in which I agree, then in that situation, the Christian bookstore would get a pass. Or is it a case of 

sex discrimination in which case they would not get a pass. 

And let me also say, if it is a for-profit bookstore, they probably 

will not get any kind of a pass because in the way in which the 

courts have treated for-profit as opposed to non-profit religious organizations, so. 

Thank you, Chairman. 

The CHAIRMAN. I am resisting the urge to jump into this—— 

[Laughter.] 

The CHAIRMAN [continuing]. As a lawyer, but these debates can 

go on. I think this is a very technical part of the bill. This is technical, and there are always these kinds of technical aspects of legislation. 

I do not know if Mr. Merkley, you are one of the authors of this 

bill, the sponsor of it. I would ask if you have any view on this 

yourself, since you are the lead sponsor on this. If you want to address yourself to it, if not that is fine. We will move on. 

Senator MERKLEY. Mr. Chair, I think, the perspective Mr. 

Bagenstos has presented is very much in line with all of the legal 

efforts to create significant and broad exemptions for these organizations. 

The CHAIRMAN. Then, let us go. I have then, since we were talking about it, I do have a letter for the record now, at this point, 

from a large number, I do not know exactly how many, religious 

organizations in support of S. 811. I will ask that it be put in the 

record at this point also. 

[The information referred to may be found in Additional Material.] 

Senator Merkley, you are recognized. 

Senator MERKLEY. Thank you, Mr. Chair. 

Thirty-seven religious organizations on that list, and thank you 

for putting it into the record. 

I would like to also enter in the record a list of non-profit organizations. Let us see, 88 non-profit organizations that have sent a letter to us in support of the ENDA bill. And this is titled, ‘‘Co-sponsor, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, letter from the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.’’ 

[The information referred to may be found in Additional Material.] 

Senator MERKLEY. Mr. Parshall, when Oregon was wrestling 

with its non-discrimination act which, by the way, was much 

broader than employment applied to all retail activity, housing, 

restaurants, services of every kind. We wrestled with defining the 

boundaries of religious exemption. It seems to have worked very 

well in that I have never heard a single complaint in the 5 years 

since. 
45 

Have you taken a look at Oregon’s religious exemption and the 

kind of experience on the ground, or in any other States that have 

been essentially down this path already? 

Mr. PARSHALL. Specifically, I have not with regard to Oregon. 

My experience has been that well-intentioned discrimination 

laws are often passed without understanding the difficulty that the 

courts often complain about when they step into areas of religion, 

because on the one hand, the judge is handicapped from going into 

areas of religious belief by the Establishment Clause. On the other 

hand, sometimes they are required to do so because it is the language of the exemption. 

Thinking of a situation I had in a case up in Maryland involving 

a Christian school where the county passed an ordinance that was 

broader than the State that had not adequately provided protection 

for the Christian school, and they were sued. Had to go to the supreme court version of the court system there in Maryland, the 

court of appeals, to get redress. And they did establish the free exercise of religion rights at the school, only after 3 or 4 years of litigation. 

So it is important, I think, to realize what a difficult area this 

is. And I will look at Oregon’s because I am intrigued by the history that you recount. Thanks, Senator. 

Senator MERKLEY. You are welcome. 

Mr. Bagenstos, have you had the opportunity to look at any of 

the individual States that have wrestled with this challenge of 

identifying the religious exemption? Are there any insights to be 

gained from those States’ experiences? 

Mr. BAGENSTOS. I think there are insights to be gained from 

those States’ experiences. I had because in the previous hearing on 

this bill 2 years ago because you, Senator, had referred to the discussions about the religious exemption in Oregon, I had looked into 

that in particular. And my sense of the experience is as an academic looking at it, sort of diving in, is very much as your sense 

as a public official in the State of Oregon that there really has not 

been the kind of problem in implementing it, and I think we see 

that elsewhere. 

I think in this bill in particular, the real advantage is this bill 

simply incorporates a religious exemption that has been upheld as 

constitutional by the Supreme Court, so we know that the constitutional lines that Mr. Parshall is talking about drawing, have already been drawn appropriately, and it has several decades of experience behind it. We know the basic parameters of the religious 

exemption here. This is not something where we are going to have 

to create 4 years of litigation in order to figure out what it means. 

It is clear what it means. And I think that is a real advantage that 

we can get in a Federal law may be over a State law. 

Senator MERKLEY. Thank you. You mentioned that the ACLU 

has been concerned about this being too broad. 

Do you want to expand on that some? 

Mr. BAGENSTOS. I think you could probably talk to someone from 

the ACLU about what exactly their concern is, but my sense is the 

concern that the—it is sort of, in some ways, the flip side of what 

Mr. Parshall is saying. 
46 

Under title VII, the religious exemption applies only to discrimination taken for religious reasons. Under this bill, the religious exemption would apply to any discrimination on the basis of sexual 

orientation or gender identity by an entity covered by the religious 

exemption of title VII whether or not it is taken for a religious reason. 

It could be a religious college or university that discriminates on 

the basis of sexual orientation not because of any religious tenet, 

but just because of bias and that would be exempted by this bill. 

In that sense, in some ways, the religious exemption here actually operates more broadly than the religious exemption under title 

VII, and certainly it does not operate any more narrowly than the 

religious exemption under title VII. 

Senator MERKLEY. I am looking at section 7(a) which refers to, 

‘‘The subchapter shall not apply to religious corporations,’’ and then 

it gives a list and I assume the word ‘‘religious,’’ applies to all 

these, 

‘‘Religious corporation, or religious association, religious educational institution, religious society with the respect to the 

employment of individuals of a particular religion to perform 

work.’’ 

But essentially, it is the first part of the phrase of saying that 

any of these religious corporations, associations, educational institutions or societies are all exempted, and that is why this is considered such a broad exemption. 

Mr. BAGENSTOS. Exactly. 

Senator MERKLEY. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. 

I want to conclude my thoughts by simply saying—if that is what 

we are down to—wrestling with the exact legal language and the 

boundaries of religious exemption, then we are within reach of having a national framework that ends discrimination. Because State 

after State has wrestled with these boundaries and worked it out. 

I do think that the way that this particular statute or proposed 

statute is crafted has been to address a major concern, which is to 

create a new list of uncertainties. But by basing the language on 

a past that is now 48 years old since this language was first introduced into law, so the definitions and the courts have worked it 

over time and time again. There is such an enormous case history 

is the soundest foundation, the most thorough and thoughtful foundation we could possibly have for extending protection to the LGBT 

community in terms of giving assurance that the definitions are 

well-examined and well-worked. 

Let us not lose sight as we wrestle over clauses that raise questions about what is a religious association, the courts have worked 

that out, or what is an educational institution, the courts have 

worked it out. Let us not lose sight that each and every day American citizens are discriminated against in their employment or 

their potential employment in ways that have a profound impact 

on their opportunity to fully live their lives, to fully contribute, to 

fully pursue happiness. In other words, to do all that they can be, 

all that they are, which is a benefit to them and a benefit to our 

Nation. And this discrimination is absolutely wrong. It is morally 

wrong and we must end it. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 
47 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Senator Merkley, for your sponsorship of the bill and your strong support for it. 

I would ask if anyone has any last thing they want to add before 

I close down the hearing. Any one last thing they want to bring up? 

We will hold the record open for 10 days. I know Senator 

Franken had some additional questions he wanted to submit. We 

will hold the record open for 10 days for further insertions or for 

questions the other members of the committee might have. 

I will close by saying that I thank you all for being here. This 

is, to echo what Senator Merkley said, this is an issue that we have 

to confront as a Nation, and we have to get over it. We have to get 

over it and move on. 

Again, I want to be as protective as anyone of religious liberty 

in this country, but I would also remind people that in 1964, we 

passed the Civil Rights Act. Arguments were made that the 1964 

Civil Rights Act would violate the religious liberty of employers to 

ban discrimination on the basis of race. 

And so, we have been through this before that we would violate 

their religious liberty if we said you could not discriminate against 

African-Americans in our society. So we have been down that road 

before. And quite frankly, again just to echo what Senator Merkley 

said, this discrimination ‘‘has no place in our society’’. We wish we 

had done this a long time ago. People should be judged, as so many 

of you said, on the basis of their talents and who they are as an 

individual. They should be given every opportunity to succeed. 

They should not be discriminated against. 

So I do not consider it a difficult area. I just do not consider it 

difficult. We simply should not discriminate on the basis of sexual 

orientation or sexual identity, period. And I think it is something 

that we need to pass, and we need to pass as soon as possible, and 

move on. A lot of States have done different things, companies have 

come forward; we know that. 

It is time now to say to all Americans no matter who you are, 

no matter your sexual identity, your gender identity, if you are 

willing to work hard, if you are willing to contribute to society, 

then you are important to us. You are part of the American family. 

You ought to be included. That is really what this is all about. 

The committee will stand adjourned. 

{Additional material follows.] 
48 

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF SENATOR CASEY

Mr. Chairman, thank you for agreeing to hold this important 

hearing on fairness in the workplace and the bipartisan Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). I joined Senators Merkley, 

Kirk and Collins in requesting today’s hearing to highlight the 

pressing need for this legislation. Over the course of our Nation’s 

history, great strides have been made to ensure the fair treatment 

of all citizens under the law. ENDA represents one more important 

step to ensure that basic American values of fairness and equality 

protect all citizens in the workplace. 

The United States has already extended Federal employment discrimination protections for race, religion, sex, national origin, age 

and disability. These protections were enacted to ensure that all 

American workers are evaluated on the quality of their work and 

not some aspect of their identity. Beyond the argument for equity, 

these protections encourage broad-based participation in the workforce and strengthen the American economy. However, in many 

places, Americans still face employment discrimination as a result 

of their sexual orientation or gender identity. I am a cosponsor of 

ENDA because it would prohibit public and private employers, employment agencies and labor unions from considering an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity when making employment decisions such as hiring, firing, promotion or compensation. 

These protections would apply to Congress, the Federal Government and employees of State and local governments. ENDA would 

make exceptions for businesses with fewer than 15 employees and 

religious organizations. 

Today we will hear the compelling arguments that ENDA is good 

for business and beneficial to the American economy. Perhaps most 

importantly, however, ENDA reaffirms our American ideal of fairness: workers should be judged on their skills and abilities. I look 

forward to this hearing as the first step toward swift and bipartisan passage of ENDA in both the Senate and the House. 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF SENATOR KIRK

Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Enzi, thank you for 

holding a hearing on this important legislation. I am proud to join 

Senator Merkley in co-sponsoring the bipartisan Employment NonDiscrimination Act (ENDA), S. 811. I was a strong supporter of this 

bill in the House of Representatives, and I am happy to help lead 

this effort in the Senate. In the long tradition of Senator Dirksen 

from Illinois—who helped pass the Civil Rights Act—I believe opposition to discrimination is a time-honored American tradition. 

Nothing creates dignity more than a job, and this legislation will 

ensure that all Americans can realize their right to economic independence. Senator Merkley and I are following the lead of hundreds of top companies in the business community. Almost 90 percent of the Fortune 500 companies have implemented similar nondiscrimination polices and agree that an open corporate environment enables employees to be more enthusiastic, mentally healthy, 

and productive. 
49 

1 I would like to acknowledge Seyfarth Shaw attorneys Condon McGlothlen, Laura Maechtlen, 

Annette Tyman, Sam Schwartz-Fenwick and case assistants Chris Nelson and Craig Nelson for 

their invaluable assistance in the preparation of this testimony. 

Many of these companies continue to advocate for workplace fairness, including Illinois employers, Hospira Inc., Orbitz Worldwide 

Inc., MillerCoors Brewing Co. and HSBC—North America. Another 

coalition member, Sara Lee Corporation, headquartered in Downers Grove, IL, says of anti-discrimination policies, 

‘‘We believe that having a workforce comprised of people 

from different backgrounds and life perspectives can lead to 

better customer and consumer insights, greater innovation and 

a more inclusive environment for our employees.’’ 

Unfortunately, there are a number of misconceptions about this 

legislation. It does not create any quotas or preferential practices; 

in fact, both are explicitly prohibited in the bill. ENDA simply 

takes prejudices out of the employment decisionmaking process to 

ensure that employees or applicants are judged solely on their 

qualifications and job performance. 

The bill also provides broad exemptions for religious institutions 

to protect First Amendment freedoms. Churches, synagogues and 

other places of worship; religious schools, colleges, seminaries and 

universities; and religious corporations, associations, and societies 

are all exempt from the requirements of this bill. In sum, ENDA 

provides the same religious freedom rights as existing employment 

discrimination civil rights laws. 

ENDA is a common sense bill that ensures our workforce is the 

best it can be—competitive and consistent with American values of 

liberty, tolerance, and equality. Again, I appreciate the committee 

holding this hearing, and I look forward to moving ENDA through 

the legislative process. 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF CAMILLE A. OLSON, SEYFARTH SHAW LLP 

I am pleased to submit testimony addressing S. 811, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2011 (‘‘S. 811’’ or ‘‘ENDA’’). I am a Partner with the law firm of 

Seyfarth Shaw LLP. Seyfarth Shaw is a national firm with 10 offices nationwide, 

and one of the largest labor and employment practices in the United States. Nationwide, over 350 Seyfarth Shaw attorneys provide advice, counsel, and litigation defense representation in connection with equal employment opportunities, as well as 

other labor and employment matters affecting employees in their workplaces.1

I. INTRODUCTION

I am the chairperson of Seyfarth Shaw’s Labor and Employment Department’s 

Complex Discrimination Litigation Practice Group. I have practiced in the areas of 

employment discrimination counseling and litigation defense for over 20 years. I am 

a member of both the California and Illinois bars. Members of our firm, along with 

our training subsidiary, Seyfarth Shaw at Work, have written a number of treatises 

on employment laws; advised thousands of employers on compliance issues; and 

trained tens of thousands of managers and employees with respect to compliance 

with their employer’s policies relating to equal employment opportunities and nonharassment in the workplace, as well as the requirements of State and Federal employment laws. We have also actively conducted workplace audits and developed 

best practices for implementation of new policies addressing employer obligations on 

a company-wide, state-wide, and/or nationwide basis (depending on the particular 

employment practice at issue). 

My personal legal practice specializes in equal employment opportunity compliance—counseling employers as to their legal obligations under Federal and State 

law, developing best practices in the workplace, training managers and supervisors 

on the legal obligations they have in the workplace, and litigating employment dis-
50 

2Seyfarth Shaw is a nationwide employer of over 1,650 persons providing services throughout 

the United States. Seyfarth Shaw’s non-discrimination policy, applicable to all employees, states 

as follows: 

‘‘Seyfarth Shaw is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity. Firm practices and employment decisions, including those regarding recruitment, hiring, assignment, promotion and compensation, shall not be based on any person’s sex, race, color, religion, ancestry 

or national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, citizenship status, or other protected group status as defined by law. Sexual harassment or harassment based on other protected group status as defined by law is also 

prohibited.’’ 

For the past 5 years, Seyfarth Shaw has achieved a perfect score of 100 percent on the Human 

Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, a survey of workplace practices for the LGBT community. 3My testimony is limited to S. 811’s application to private sector employers. It does not specifically address S. 811’s provisions unique to religious organizations (Section 6), the armed forces 

(Section 7), or to local, State, or Federal Governments (Section 3(a)(4)(b–d)). 4S. 811, Section 4(a)(1). 

5S. 811, Section 4(a)(2). 

6S. 811, Section 4(e). 

crimination cases. I also teach equal employment opportunity law at Loyola University School of Law in Chicago, IL. I am a frequent lecturer and have published numerous articles and chapters on various employment and equal employment opportunity issues. For example, I am co-editor of a book entitled Guide to Employment 

Law Compliance for Thompson Publishing Group (2012); and I, along with other 

Seyfarth Shaw partners, have conducted numerous webinars, teleconferences, and 

full-day seminars across the country for employers and the Society for Human Resource Management on an employer’s EEO obligations. I am also a member of the 

U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Policy Subcommittee on Equal Employment Opportunity, and I am a member of the Board of Directors of a number of business and 

charitable institutions. 

II. SUMMARY OF TESTIMONY

I have been invited to submit testimony concerning the impact of the Employment 

Non-Discrimination Act of 2011 in the employment context, separate and apart from 

my relationship with the above-noted institutions, clients, and associations. I strongly support equal opportunities in employment, and, in particular, ensuring that employment decisions are based upon an individual’s qualifications for a job (including 

education, experience, and other relevant competencies), as well as other legitimate 

non-discriminatory factors. Similarly, I believe that fair and consistent application 

of workplace practices and policies is instrumental to an employer’s success as an 

employer of choice in the community.2

My purpose in providing this testimony is not to comment positively or negatively 

on whether the U.S. Senate should enact S. 811 into law as sound public policy. 

Rather, my testimony is a summary of my legal analysis concerning certain provisions of S. 811 as they apply to private sector employers only.3 This analysis is provided within the context of other Federal non-discrimination in employment legislation, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e 

et seq. It is also provided to highlight certain practical uncertainties sure to be faced 

by employers attempting to comply with its provisions, and by employees attempting 

to understand their rights and obligations under ENDA. As such, this testimony is 

provided in the hopes that it will result in the clarification of certain of S. 811’s provisions for the benefit of employees and employers alike. If S. 811 passes, such clarifications would minimize confusion and litigation over the meaning of certain provisions, and enable employers to conform with congressional intent as expressed 

through S. 811’s plain language. This would also better track the protections afforded to other protected groups under title VII, as amended, and related Federal 

employment discrimination statutes. 

A drafted, S. 811 clearly provides the following: 

• S. 811 prohibits employers from discriminating against an individual based on 

that person’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity with respect 

to employment decisions and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.4

• S. 811 prohibits employers from discriminating against employees or applicants 

by limiting, segregating, or classifying them on the basis of their actual or perceived 

sexual orientation or gender identity in a way that adversely affects them.5

• S. 811 prohibits employers from discriminating against an individual based on 

the perceived or actual sexual orientation or gender identity of a person with whom 

that person associates.6
51 

7S. 811, Section 5. 

8S. 811, Section 8(a)(1). 

9S. 811 Section 8(b–c). 

10 At least two courts have recently held that portions of DOMA are unconstitutional. See 

Windsor v. United States, 10–cv–8435, 2012 WL 2019716 (S.D.N.Y. June 6, 2012); Massachusetts v. U.S. HHS, 10–2204, 2012 WL 1948017 (1st Cir. May 31, 2012). My testimony does not address issues related to the definition of ‘‘marriage’’ under DOMA. 11S. 811, Section 8(a)(3). 12S. 811, Section 8(a)(4). 13S. 811, Section 4(f)(1). 14S. 811, Section 4(f)(2). 15S. 811, Section 8(a)(5). 16S. 811, Section 13. 17S. 811, Section 17. 18See Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. (‘‘Title VII’’); see also 

The Equal Pay Act of 1963, 29 U.S.C.§ 206(d) et seq (the ‘‘EPA’’). 19See Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, amending title VII § 2000e(k). 

• S. 811 prohibits employers from retaliating against an individual based on the 

individual’s opposition to an unlawful employment practice, or for participating in 

a charge, investigation, or hearing.7

• S. 811 does not prohibit an employer from enforcing rules and policies that do 

not intentionally circumvent its purposes.8

• S. 811 does not require an employer to treat an unmarried couple in the same 

manner as a married couple for employee benefits purposes.9 The term ‘‘marriage’’ 

as used in S. 811 is defined in the Defense of Marriage Act (‘‘DOMA’’), 1 U.S.C. § 7 

et seq.10

• S. 811 requires that an employee notify their employer if the employee is undergoing gender transition and requests the use of shower or dressing areas that do 

not conflict with the gender to which the employee is transitioning or has 

transitioned. An employer may satisfy the employee’s request by either: (1) providing access to the general shower or dressing areas of the gender the employee 

is transitioning to or has transitioned to; or (2) by providing reasonable access to 

adequate facilities that are not inconsistent with that gender.11

• S. 811 does not require employers to build new or additional facilities.12

• S. 811 does not require or permit employers to grant preferential treatment to 

an individual because of the individual’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or 

gender identity.13

• S. 811 does not require or permit an employer to adopt or implement a quota 

on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.14

• S. 811 allows employers to continue to require an employee to adhere to reasonable dress and grooming standards compliant with other applicable laws consistent 

with the employee’s sex at birth, so long as an employee who has notified their employer that they have undergone or are undergoing gender transition is allowed the 

opportunity to follow the same dress or grooming standards for the gender to which 

the employee has transitioned or is transitioning.15

• S. 811 requires employers to post notices that describe its provisions.16

• S. 811 would be effective 6 months following the date of its enactment, and it 

does not apply to conduct occurring prior to its effective date.17

However, as drafted, S. 811 creates the following ambiguity and uncertainty: 

• Whether title VII and ENDA will provide duplicate causes of action for sex discrimination, including sex stereotyping; 

• How ‘‘disparate impact’’ claims will be defined under ENDA; 

• Whether ENDA was intended to provide more robust remedies for attorney’s 

fees than those available under title VII; 

• Determining what triggers an employer’s affirmative obligations with regard to 

shared facilities and application of its dressing and grooming standards; 

• Whether ‘‘certain shared facilities’’ include restrooms; and 

• Whether employers are required to modify existing facilities. 

III. THE EMPLOYEE NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT OF 2011

A. Existing Protections Against Sex Discrimination in Employment 

Existing Federal employment laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of an individual’s sex. Under Federal law it is unlawful to: 

• Discriminate against a person because she is a female;18

• Discriminate against a person because he is a male; 

• Discriminate against a person because she is pregnant;19
52 

20See Meritor Sav. Bank v. Vinson,477 U.S. 57 (1986). 21Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Servs., Inc., 523 U.S. 75, 78 (1998) (male employee alleging 

he was sexually harassed by his male supervisor and two male co-workers, none of whom were 

alleged to be homosexual, alleges same-sex sexual harassment which is a violation of title VII); 

Cherry v. Shaw Coastal, Inc., 668 F.3d 182, 188 (5th Cir. 2012) (Sexual harassment is a form 

of discriminatory treatment, and applies in any situation where there is discrimination ‘‘because 

of ’’ sex, whether it be between members of the same or opposite sexes). 22Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins, 490 U.S. 228 (1989) (female employee alleging she was denied 

a promotion as a result of being described as being ‘‘macho,’’ ‘‘overcompensating for being a 

woman,’’ and being given advice to ‘‘take a course at charm school,’’ and ‘‘walk more femininely, 

talk more femininely, dress more femininely, wear make-up, have her hair styled, and wear jewelry’’ in order to improve her chances for promotion, stated a cause of action under title VII for 

sex discrimination because she did not conform to the stereotypes associated with being a 

woman). 23See, e.g., Larson v. United Air Lines, No. 11–1313, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 11066, at *9, n.1 

(10th Cir. June 1, 2012) (unpublished) (‘‘Title VII discrimination is only cognizable on the basis 

of sex, not sexual orientation.’’); Gilbert v. Country Music Ass’n, 432 Fed. Appx. 516 (6th Cir. 

Tenn. 2011) (concluding that title VII prohibits only discrimination ‘‘because of . . . sex,’’ not 

sexual orientation); Etsitty v. Utah Transit Auth., 502 F.3d 1215 (10th Cir. 2007) (employer did 

not violate title VII when it terminated a transgendered employee finding that discrimination 

against a transsexual is not ‘‘discrimination because of sex’’); Hamner v. St. Vincent Hosp. & 

Health Care Ctr., Inc., 224 F.3d 704 (7th Cir. 2000) (the protections of title VII do not permit 

claims based on an individual’s sexual orientation); Creed v. Family Express Corp., No. 3:06 CV– 

465RM, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 237, at *14 (N.D. Ind. Jan. 5, 2009) (‘‘Although discrimination 

because one’s behavior doesn’t conform to stereotypical ideas of one’s gender may amount to actionable discrimination based on sex, harassment based on sexual preference or transgender status does not.’’). 24See, e.g., Hamm v. Weyauwega Milk Prods., Inc. 332 F.3d 1058, 1061 (7th Cir. 2003) (sexual 

orientation not covered by title VII). 25 Compare Etsitty, 502 F.3d 1215 (10th Cir. 2007) (employer did not violate title VII when 

it terminated a transgendered employee, finding that discrimination against a transsexual is not 

‘‘discrimination because of sex’’) with Glenn v. Brumby, 663 F.3d 1312, 1317 (11th Cir. Ga. 2011) 

(concluding that discrimination against a transgendered individual because of gender-nonconformity is sex discrimination); Smith v. City of Salem, 378 F.3d 566 (6th Cir. 2004) (concluding 

a transgender plaintiff could bring a sex discrimination claim under title VII) and Schroer v. 

Billington, 577 F. Supp. 2d 293 (D.C. Cir. 2008) (employer violated title VII when it rescinded 

an employment offer upon learning the employee was transgendered). See also, Hamm, 332 F.3d 

at 1066 (Judge Posner’s concurring opinion describing case law in this area as having ‘‘gone off 

the tracks’’ under title VII) and Nichols v. Azteca Rest. Enters., Inc. and The Legacy of Price 

Waterhouse v. Hopkins: Does Title VII Prohibit ‘‘Effeminacy’’ Discrimination?, 54 Ala. L. Rev. 

193, Fall 2002, and Sex Stereotyping Per Se: Transgender Employees and Title VII, 95 Cal. L. 

Rev. 561, Apr. 2007. 26 EEOC Appeal No. 0120120821 (April 23, 2012). 

• Discriminate against a person by sexually harassing a member of the opposite 

sex based on his or her sex 20; 

• Discriminate against a person by sexually harassing a member of the same sex 

based on his or her sex 21; and 

• Discriminate against a person due to gender stereotyping because of his or her 

sex.22

No Federal law, however, expressly prohibits employers from discriminating 

against employees based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.23 Courts 

have recognized the difficulty that they often face in determining under title VII 

whether certain conduct is ‘‘because of the individual’s sex’’ as opposed to their sexual orientation or gender identity. For example, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has described the various factual settings raised by these cases as obligating 

them to ‘‘navigate the tricky legal waters of male-on-male sex harassment.’’ 24 As a 

result, some courts have reached inconsistent results as to whether similar factual 

situations are covered by title VII’s prohibition against sex discrimination where 

there is evidence that the discrimination was ‘‘because of . . . sex.’’ For instance, 

some courts have found that males who behave femininely or who dress in women’s 

clothing are not protected by title VII, while others conclude that they are protected 

by title VII.25

Administrative decisions have also created inconsistency in application of title 

VII. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (‘‘EEOC’’) recently issued an 

administrative decision in the matter of Macy v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives,26 holding that transgender individuals may state a claim for 

‘‘sex’’ discrimination under title VII, through multiple theories including per se ‘‘sex’’ 

discrimination and/or sex stereotyping. The decision expressly overrules the EEOC’s 

own prior rulings, which had taken a narrow view of the concept of ‘‘discrimination 
53 

27See, e.g., Jennifer Casoni v. United States Postal Service, EEOC DOC 01840104 (Sept. 28, 

1984); Campbell v. Dep’t of Agriculture, EEOC Appeal No. 01931703 (July 21, 1994); Kowalczyk 

v. Dep’t of Veterans Affairs, EEOC Appeal No. 01942053 (March 14, 1996). 28See authorities cited in footnote 23, supra. 29These jurisdictions include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, 

Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, 

and Washington, as well as the District of Columbia. 30These jurisdictions include those set forth directly above, as well as Delaware, Maryland, 

New Hampshire, New York, and Wisconsin. 31The Center for American Progress, FAQ: The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, http:// 

www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/07/endalfaq.html (last visited June 6, 2012). 32For instance, in 2002, hearings on S. 1284, legislation introduced in the 107th Congress, 

were held before this committee. This committee favorably reported the bill and it was placed 

on the Senate calendar. In 2007, protections on the basis of gender identity were included for 

the first time in a bill introduced only in the House of Representatives (H.R. 2015). Although 

hearings were held, the legislation proposed in 2007 did not garner enough support for passage 

in the House. Later that year, legislation that included only a prohibition against discrimination 

on the basis of sexual orientation was introduced and passed by the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 3685). Similar legislation was not introduced in the Senate in 2007. 33 H.R. 2981, H.R. 3017. 34See, e.g., S. 811, Section 3 (Definitions—partial); Section 4 (Employment Discrimination Prohibited—partial); Section 5 (Retaliation Prohibited); Section 10 (Enforcement—partial); and Section 13 (Posting Notices). 35 H.R. 2015. 36 Compare H.R. 2015, Section (5) with S. 811, Section 5. 

because of sex’’ under the statute in finding that it did not include transgender status.27 It also conflicts with certain Federal court decisions.28

A number of jurisdictions have enacted legislation prohibiting discrimination in 

the private sector based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity. To date, 16 

States and the District of Columbia prohibit discrimination based on gender identity 

and sexual orientation.29 Twenty-one States and the District of Columbia prohibit 

discrimination based on sexual orientation.30 The legal obligations imposed by State 

laws differ from State to State. 

B. Summary of Federal Legislative Efforts to Enact ENDA 

Legislation to prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation was first introduced in 1994 before the 103d Congress.31 Since then, legislation 

has been introduced in almost every session of Congress to address this topic.32

Most recently, in 2009, I provided legal analysis before this committee on S. 1584, 

a bill identical in scope and content to S. 811. I also provided testimony with respect 

to similar legislation that was also introduced before the House that year.33

Many of S. 811’s provisions track the language of title VII, the principal equal employment opportunity statute that employers have used as their guidepost in developing appropriate policies and practices regarding non-discrimination in employment. For example, S. 811 references existing provisions of title VII to define certain 

terms, such as employee, employer, and employment agencies; and to reference specific enforcement powers, procedures, and remedies.34

The language contained in S. 811 demonstrates the significant examination and 

debate that has taken place over the years concerning the extension of protections 

in employment to individuals on the basis of sexual orientation and now, gender 

identity. Indeed, certain changes from the current version as compared to S. 1284 

and/or the bill introduced in the House in 2007 (‘‘ENDA 2007’’), reflects an understanding of the need to provide clarity in the workplace to ensure compliance with 

the legislation, by carefully describing the obligations of employers and employees. 

Some examples of the clarifications urged in prior hearings and addressed in S. 811 

are set forth below: 

• ENDA 2007, Section 5 prohibited retaliation against an individual for opposing 

any practice made unlawful by the Act, or against an individual who made a charge 

or who provided testimony under the Act.35 Given that the concept of retaliation is 

a well-understood principle in employment law, legal practitioners suggested ENDA 

track the language already available under existing laws to minimize confusion and 

litigation. S. 811 includes revised retaliation language that parallels the well-established language prohibiting retaliation contained in title VII.36

• ENDA 2007, Section 8(a)(1) provided: 

IN GENERAL—Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit a covered 

entity from enforcing rules and policies that do not circumvent the purposes of 

this Act, if the rules or policies are designed for, and uniformly applied to, all 
54 

37 Compare H.R. 2015, Section 8(a)(1) with S. 811, Section 8(a)(1). 38Sexual orientation is defined as ‘‘homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality.’’ S. 811, Section(a)(9). 39Gender identity is defined as ‘‘the gender-related identity, appearance, or mannerisms or 

other gender-related characteristics of an individual, with or without regard to the individual’s 

designated sex at birth.’’ S. 811, Section 3(a)(6). 40Dawson v. Bumble & Bumble, 398 F.3d 211 (2d Cir. 2004); Bibby v. Phila. Coca Cola Bottling Co., 260 F.3d 257 (3d Cir. 2001); Simonton v. Runyon, 232 F.3d 33 (2d Cir. 2000); 

Spearman v. Ford Motor Co., 231 F.3d 1080 (7th Cir. 2000); Hamm, supra, 332 F.3d 1058; 

Centola v. Potter, 183 F.Supp.2d 403 (D.Mass. 2002). 41Macy v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, EEOC Appeal No. 

0120120821 (April 23, 2012). 42S. 811, Section 3(a)(6); see also Price Waterhouse, 490 U.S. 228. 43The EEOC’s decision in Macy v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, 

EEOC Appeal No. 0120120821 (April 23, 2012) applies only to the EEOC’s adjudication of administrative charges at the regional office level and to the EEO offices of Federal agencies. 

individuals regardless of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.37

Practitioners urged drafters to insert the word ‘‘intentionally’’ before the phrase, 

‘‘circumvent the purposes of this Act’’ to ensure that Section 8(a)(1) would not be 

used to unintentionally incorporate concepts of disparate impact claims into ENDA. 

S. 811 has been revised to include the word ‘‘intentionally.’’ 

• ENDA 2007 section 17 and S. 1284 Section 19 provided that ENDA would take 

effect 60 days after the date of enactment. S. 811 provides for its effective date to 

be 6 months after the date of enactment. This 6-month lead time will be particularly 

helpful to employers to allow sufficient time to make necessary revisions to their 

policies, practices, and procedures. This will also provide adequate time for employers to train managers, human resource professionals, and employees to ensure compliance with a new Federal law. 

C. S. 811 Requires Clarification 

As described in section III.B. above, as drafted, S. 811 has provided clarity concerning certain provisions in prior House and Senate bills regarding many of the 

new obligations ENDA would impose upon employers. Notwithstanding these earlier 

clarifications, certain ambiguities still remain that were previously raised in 2009 

with respect to S. 1584, but were not addressed in S. 811. These ambiguities warrant 

further discussion and analysis and are described below in two sections. Section 1 

addresses general ENDA points requiring clarification. Section 2 addresses specific 

points with regard to the application of specific provisions of ENDA regarding an 

employer’s facilities and policies to an employee’s gender identity protections, and 

specifically to individuals who have undergone or are undergoing gender transition. 

1. General Points Requiring Clarification 

a. Whether Title VII and ENDA Will Provide Duplicate Causes of Action for 

Sex Stereotyping 

ENDA is the only Federal legislation, that, if enacted, would expressly prohibit 

discrimination or retaliation on the basis of sexual orientation 38 and gender identity.39 While courts have made clear that no Federal cause of action exists for discrimination on the basis of an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity,40

as noted on pages 6–7, supra, some Federal courts have inconsistently extended title 

VII protections to factual situations brought on the basis of sex-stereotyping that 

more accurately involve claims of sexual orientation and/or an individual’s gender 

identity. The EEOC has also recently interpreted title VII’s prohibitions against sex 

discrimination to encompass claims by transgender individuals.41

If enacted in its current form, these same factual scenarios would clearly be actionable under ENDA given its broad definition of gender identity. What is sexstereotyping if it is not discrimination based upon an individual’s ‘‘appearance, or 

mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics . . . with or without regard to 

the individual’s designated sex at birth?’’ 42 These concepts are overlapping, thus, 

certain factual situations that some courts and the EEOC have found actionable 

under title VII would most assuredly also be actionable under ENDA.43

Moreover, with regard to the relationship between ENDA and other laws, Section 

15 of ENDA specifically provides as follows: 

This Act shall not invalidate or limit the rights, remedies, or procedures 

available to an individual claiming discrimination prohibited under any other 

Federal law or regulation or any law or regulation of a State or political subdivision of a State. 
55 

44S. 811, Section 4(g). 45S. 811, Section 8(a)(1). 46 Id. 47 442 U.S.C. § 2000e–2(k). 48S. 811, section 12. Attorney’s Fees (emphasis added). 

Given this language, it is clear that ENDA, as currently drafted, serves only to 

add protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and that it 

does not replace any claims that would otherwise be actionable under title VII. 

Yet, such a reading of the two statutes would lead to the unintended consequence 

of a potential dual recovery by a successful plaintiff filing claims under both title 

VII and ENDA for the same alleged wrongful conduct. As such, it is critical that 

ENDA include language which makes clear that ENDA is the exclusive Federal 

remedy for any alleged conduct on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity 

as those terms have been defined. Accordingly, I urge this committee to carefully 

consider the interplay between ENDA and title VII to ensure that there is not an 

unintended duplication of remedies and that congressional intent be made abundantly clear in this regard. I suggest consideration of language to the effect of: 

‘‘Nothing in this Act shall be interpreted to permit a double recovery of damages.’’ 

This language will ensure that congressional intent on this issue is clear and may 

minimize litigation over this issue. 

b. Disparate Impact Claims Are Not Available Under S. 811 

Disparate treatment claims are actionable under S. 811.44 S. 811 prohibits intentional discrimination only.45

In contrast, disparate impact claims are not available under S. 811.46 In other 

words, S. 811 does not provide individuals with a remedy for alleged discrimination 

that is based on a rule or policy that does not intentionally circumvent ENDA, so 

long as the rules and policies are applied equally to all individuals regardless of 

their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

The most familiar statutory definition of a disparate impact claim is in title VII.47

Thus, to ensure that disparate impact claims are appropriately defined, and properly excluded from ENDA, a reference to title VII’s statutory definition of a disparate impact claim should be included in ENDA. The current language leaves some 

ambiguity. For example, Section 4(g) of ENDA provides as follows: Disparate Impact—Only disparate treatment claims may be brought under this Act. 

Thus, while section 4(g) is entitled ‘‘Disparate Impact’’—the text of the provision 

does not explicitly define disparate impact claims, or expressly state that they may 

not be brought under ENDA. Rather, the provision instead affirmatively states that 

only disparate treatment claims may be brought under ENDA. Accordingly, this 

committee should also consider adding a provision that explicitly defines disparate 

impact claims and excludes disparate impact claims for sexual orientation and gender identity from ENDA’s prohibitions to ensure that congressional intent is clear 

as to the claims that are exempted from S. 811. I would suggest this committee 

adopt language in section 4(g) defining the parameters of Disparate Impact claims 

more clearly, such as: 

Disparate Impact claims as described in title VII, section 2000e–2(k), or any 

other statute, cannot be established under this Act. Only disparate treatment 

claims may be brought under this Act. 

c. The Remedies Available Under S. 811 Should Parallel Those Available 

Under title VII 

S. 811, Section 10(b)(1) specifically provides that the procedures and remedies applicable are those set forth in title VII (42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq.). Despite this provision, Section 12 of ENDA expands the remedies with respect to attorney’s fees for 

claims arising under ENDA beyond those currently available under title VII. Specifically, Section 12 provides as follows with regard to attorney’s fees: 

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, in an action or administrative proceeding for a violation of this Act, an entity described in section 

10(a) (other than paragraph (4) of such section), in the discretion of the 

entity, may allow the prevailing party, other than the Commission or the 

United States, a reasonable attorney’s fee (including expert fees) as part of the 

costs. The Commission and the United States shall be liable for the costs to the 

same extent as a private person.48

In contrast, title VII provides as follows with regard to attorney’s fees: 

In any action or proceeding under this subchapter the court, in its discretion, 

may allow the prevailing party, other than the Commission or the United 
56 

49Title VII § 2000e–5(k). Attorney’s Fees; Liability of Commission and United States for Costs 

(emphasis added). 50S. 811, Section 4(a)(1). 51S. 811, Section 8(a)(3) (emphasis added). 

States, a reasonable attorney’s fee (including expert fees) as part of the costs, 

and the Commission and the United States shall be liable for costs the same 

as a private person.49

Specifically, S. 811, Section 12, expands the remedies that would otherwise be 

available under title VII by permitting a prevailing party in an ‘‘administrative proceeding’’ to recover a ‘‘reasonable attorney’s fee (including expert fees) as part of the 

costs.’’ Although it is unclear who is a ‘‘prevailing party’’ under ENDA, employees 

who receive a finding of substantial evidence from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (‘‘EEOC’’) or another administrative agency as described in Section 10(a) may arguably be entitled to attorney’s fees. This is a significant expansion 

of the remedies available under title VII. 

This inconsistency between ENDA and title VII would mean that a plaintiff who 

alleges discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity would 

be entitled to greater remedies than a plaintiff who alleges discrimination on the 

basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Further, other employment discrimination statutes, including the ADA, adopt title VII’s remedies. ENDA, in contrast, as discussed, would add new remedies. 

Moreover, the very nature of the investigative proceeding at the administrative 

agency phase demonstrates why an award of attorney’s fees would not be appropriate. First, EEOC decisions are not considered ‘‘final orders’’ subject to appeal, 

thus an employer would be deprived of its due process rights to contest any such 

award. In fact, the EEOC is not required to provide documented reasons for its decisions. Accordingly, an employer may not be provided a written basis for the EEOC’s 

decision. Additionally, information submitted at the EEOC phase is produced to assist the EEOC in its investigation, and is not subject to the Federal Rules of Evidence. 

The second significant departure contained in ENDA, as compared to title VII, relates to who is granted the authority and discretion to grant such awards. As noted 

above, under ENDA, courts and administrative agencies, such as the EEOC, are 

granted the authority to award attorney’s fees. In contrast, title VII appropriately 

limits the authority to grant such remedies to the courts. Courts, and not administrative agencies, are best positioned to decide who is a ‘‘prevailing party’’ under the 

law. Such decisions should be made only after careful consideration and review of 

the admissible evidence as presented by both the plaintiff and the employer. 

For these reasons, this committee should undertake a careful examination of Section 12 of ENDA to ensure that the remedies available to a plaintiff under ENDA 

are consistent with provisions under title VII, by specifically mirroring the language 

contained in title VII, 2000e–5(k). 

2. Specific Provisions Requiring Clarification Regarding Gender Identity 

Among other protections, S. 811 makes it a violation of Federal law for an employer to 

‘‘discriminate against any individual with respect to the compensation, terms, 

conditions, or privileges of employment of the individual, because of such individual’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.’’ 50

S. 811 further provides as follows: 

[Section 8(a)(3)] CERTAIN SHARED FACILITIES—Nothing in this Act shall 

be construed to establish an unlawful employment practice based on actual or 

perceived gender identity due to the denial of access to shared shower or dressing facilities in which being seen unclothed is unavoidable, provided that the 

employer provides reasonable access to adequate facilities that are not inconsistent with the employee’s gender identity as established with the employer at 

the time of employment or upon notification to the employer that the employee 

has undergone or is undergoing gender transition, whichever is later.51

[Section 8(a)(5)] DRESS AND GROOMING STANDARDS—Nothing in this 

Act shall prohibit an employer from requiring an employee, during the employee’s hours at work, to adhere to reasonable dress or grooming standards not 

prohibited by other provisions of Federal, State, or local law, provided that the 

employer permits any employee who has undergone gender transition prior to the 

time of employment, and any employee who has notified the employer that the 

employee has undergone or is undergoing gender transition after the time of em-
57 

52S. 811, Section 8(a)(5) (emphasis added). 53 Id. at Section 8(a)(3) and 8(a)(5). 54Transgender Visibility Guide: A Note on Transitioning, available at http://www.hrc.org/ 

files/assets/resources/transgenderlvisibilitylguide.pdf. (last viewed June 6, 2012); see also, 

The Transsexual Person in Your Life, Responses To Some Frequently Asked Questions/Frequently Held Concerns, available at http://www.tsfaq.info/. (last viewed June 6, 2012). 55 Id. 56 Id. 57 Id. 58 Id. 

ployment, to adhere to the same dress or grooming standards for the gender to 

which the employee has transitioned or is transitioning.52

Thus, in addition to prohibiting discrimination in employment on the basis of gender identity, ENDA places affirmative obligations on employers. Specifically, employers are required to adjust their policies, practices, or procedures with regard to 

‘‘certain shared facilities’’ and ‘‘dress and grooming standards’’ for a subset of individuals who have either ‘‘undergone’’ or who are ‘‘undergoing’’ transition to a gender 

other than their gender at birth.’’ 53 These affirmative obligations present unique 

issues in the workplace that merit further consideration and reflection. 

a. What Triggers an Employer’s Affirmative Obligation? 

The first issue that requires additional consideration relates to the use of the 

phrases, ‘‘upon notification’’ and ‘‘notified the employer.’’ As an initial matter, it is 

unclear whether these similar, though different, phrases mean the same thing. For 

the sake of clarity, one phrase should be selected and used consistently throughout 

to avoid confusion. 

Second, the terms ‘‘notification’’ and ‘‘notified’’ are vague terms that should be 

modified to clarify what the employee is required to do before an employer’s obligations are triggered. For instance, does the employee have to notify the employer in 

writing, or does a verbal conversation satisfy the employee’s obligation to notify? Is 

the employee’s own statement sufficient, or is it permissible for an employer to request confirmation from a third-party professional before it is required to amend its 

policies, procedures, or practices for the requesting individual? Are the employer’s 

obligations to modify its existing policies triggered immediately upon notification? 

And if not, how soon is the employer required to act? Should the employee be required to provide sufficient lead time to allow the employer the opportunity to make 

adjustments as appropriate? And if so, how much time is necessary? These questions are not currently addressed in S. 811. 

b. Who Is Covered by Sections 8(a)(3) and 8(a)(5)? 

Sections 8(a)(3) and 8(a)(5) are applicable to only a subset of employees that are 

otherwise covered under ENDA. Specifically, these sections are applicable to those 

individuals that have ‘‘undergone’’ or who are ‘‘undergoing gender transition.’’ Absent from ENDA, however, is a definition of the phrases ‘‘undergone,’’ ‘‘undergoing,’’ 

or ‘‘gender transition.’’ These undefined phrases are particularly problematic given 

that ‘‘gender transition’’ is a broad term used to describe a combination of social, 

medical, and legal steps that an individual may, or may not, choose to undergo in 

their decision to define their gender identity.54

For instance, social steps in the process might include asking to be referred to 

by a different name or pronouns (i.e., ‘‘she’’ instead of ‘‘he’’ or vice versa).55 Such 

steps may also involve an employee using clothing or accessories traditionally worn 

by individuals of the sex and/or gender the employee identifies with, or taking on 

mannerisms associated with a particular gender.56

Certain employees may also choose to take medical steps to further conform to 

their core gender identity. Such medical interventions may include hormonal therapies and/or surgery to further modify their physical appearance or attributes.57 Finally, transitioning individuals may utilize courts or other agencies to achieve legal 

recognition of their new name and/or gender.58 Thus, the term ‘‘gender transition’’ 

implicates a wide range of steps that employees may be said to have ‘‘undergone’’ 

or be ‘‘undergoing.’’ 

As previously stated, one of the social steps in the gender transition process may 

include the use of clothing, make-up, or accessories commonly associated with an 

individual’s true identity rather than with his or her gender at birth. As currently 

written, ‘‘undergoing’’ may be so broadly interpreted as to cover any employee who 

presents in a gender non-conforming manner on a single day. 

Such distinctions on issues that most employers may not fully comprehend may

cause for significant concern and confusion in the employer community. Thus, defin-
58 

59S. 811, Section 8(a)(3). 60S. 811, Section 8(a)(4). 61 If ENDA were clarified to require an employer to undertake such affirmative obligations 

with respect to modification of existing facilities, it is critical to also provide guidance on when 

those obligations are triggered and when they must be completed. 

ing more specifically those individuals who can make requests under sections 8(a)(3) 

and 8(a)(5) should be clearly defined in ENDA. 

c. Do ‘‘Certain Shared Facilities’’ Include Restrooms? 

Section 8(a)(3) implicates a common, yet controversial, issue related to 

transitioning employees. Specifically, which ‘‘certain shared facilities’’ should 

transitioning employees use, and when is it appropriate for these employees to begin 

using shared facilities designated for members of the ‘‘opposite sex.’’ Though entitled 

‘‘Certain Shared Facilities,’’ Section 8(a)(3) provides only limited guidance on this 

issue. As written, it applies only to ‘‘shared shower or dressing facilities in which 

being seen unclothed is unavoidable.’’ 59 In such shared facilities, an employer who 

has been notified that an employee has or is undergoing gender transition has the 

following two options: (1) to allow the transitioning employee access to the shared 

facilities designated for the gender to which the individual is transitioning; or (2) 

to provide the transitioning employee with ‘‘reasonable access to adequate facilities’’ 

that are not inconsistent with the gender to which they are transitioning. 

Glaringly absent from ENDA, however, is guidance for employers with respect to 

bathrooms or restrooms. Indeed, far more prevalent in the workplace than ‘‘shared 

shower or dressing facilities in which being seen unclothed is unavoidable’’ are restrooms. The same privacy issues that give rise to the use of ‘‘shared showers or 

dressing facilities’’ are applicable to some bathrooms where being seen unclothed 

may also be unavoidable. Employers should be provided the same flexibility that 

S. 811 provides employers with respect to shared shower or dressing facilities by expressly permitting employers to decide which restrooms transitioning employees will 

have access to so long as they are permitted ‘‘reasonable access to adequate’’ restrooms. 

Moreover, because the definition of ‘‘gender identity’’ in S. 811 is broader than the 

subgroup of individuals who have or who are undergoing gender transition, it should 

also be clarified to expressly State whether an employer has any obligation to allow 

anyone other than transgendered employees access to shared facilities that are designated for use by only members of one particular sex. Given that restroom accommodations may be perhaps one of the most controversial issues employers will be 

required to face if ENDA is enacted in its current form, congressional guidance on 

this point would be helpful to employers who will be required to implement policies, 

practices, and procedures consistent with ENDA. Clarity here is paramount because 

ENDA goes beyond the relatively simple concept of nondiscrimination in the workplace and instead imposes affirmative obligations on employers. Thus, any vagueness in the law could lead to significant damages awarded against well-intentioned 

employers who simply may not understand their obligations, as well as significant 

time-lags for these issues to be resolved through litigation. 

d. Are Employers Required to Modify Existing Facilities Under ENDA? 

Section 8(a)(4) of ENDA provides as follows: ADDITIONAL FACILITIES NOT 

REQUIRED—Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require the construction of 

new or additional facilities.60

Given the language in the text, it is clear that ENDA does not require an employer to construct new or additional facilities. Left unanswered, however, is whether employers are nonetheless required to modify existing facilities. Clarification concerning this issue is critical so as to have certainty with respect to the scope of an 

employer’s obligations under ENDA.61

IV. CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I believe that the issues raised herein should be considered and addressed as the committee considers the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 

2011. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance in suggesting ways in which to improve ENDA’s language to ensure that it meets congressional objectives. 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN®, CHAD GRIFFIN, PRESIDENT

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Chad Griffin, and I 

am president of the Human Rights Campaign®, America’s largest civil rights orga-
59 

nization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality. 

By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against 

LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality 

for all. On behalf of our over 1 million members and supporters nationwide, I am 

honored to submit this statement in support of S. 811, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (‘‘ENDA’’). 

Work is a core part of our lives. Of course, it is most basically how we provide 

for our selves and our families. But it is also how we contribute to the life of our 

communities and our Nation. And if we are lucky, work is how we continue to learn, 

grow, challenge ourselves and, just maybe, realize our dreams. Even in difficult economic times, generation after generation of Americans have gone to work to build 

better lives for themselves and to show their children that they can be anything 

they want to be. That is at the very heart of the American dream. 

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act is critical to protect both aspects of that 

dream—the chance, today, at a fair shake in the American workplace and the promise, tomorrow, that no young person must choose between being who they are and 

striving for their strongest aspirations. ENDA must be passed because, for too many 

LGBT people in this country, that dream remains out of reach. In 29 States, it remains perfectly legal to fire someone solely based on his or her sexual orientation, 

and, in 34 States, to do so based on gender identity. Without comprehensive Federal 

protections in the workplace, many LGBT people must go to work or a job interview 

unable to be fully themselves, hiding their families and home lives, in order to protect their livelihoods and careers. Like everyone else, these employees simply want 

to be judged based on their merits and rewarded for their accomplishments. 

Instead, they face discrimination and unequal opportunities. For instance, studies 

show that sexual orientation has a negative impact on earnings among individuals 

with similar education and background. A 2007 survey of these studies found that 

gay men earn from 10 percent to 22 percent less than heterosexual men with the 

same education, experience, race, occupation and geographic location. A 2009 national survey of more than 6,000 transgender people found that 47 percent had experienced an adverse job action—firing, refusal to hire or denial of promotion—because of their gender identity, and nearly everyone surveyed (97 percent) had experienced some form of anti-transgender harassment or discrimination on the job. 

But our Nation’s failure to protect LGBT Americans in the workplace does not 

simply deny equal opportunity to those struggling to succeed in the workforce today. 

It tells young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people that their futures are 

not as limitless as their peers’—that before they have even had a chance to dream, 

some doors are already closed to them. Earlier this month, HRC released a report 

entitled ‘‘Growing Up LGBT in America’’ based on a nationwide survey of more than 

10,000 LGBT-identified young people. The survey starkly demonstrates how we are 

failing LGBT youth, who broadly encounter harassment, bullying, ostracism and rejection. And while they are also resilient, a large majority believes they must leave 

their hometowns to find happiness, compared to less than a third of their straight 

peers. Forty-one percent of LGBT youth believe they must move to a new city or 

town simply to have a good job. This should hardly come as a surprise when, in 

a solid majority of States, they face the very real possibility that their sexual orientation or gender identity might keep them from succeeding at work, or getting 

a job at all. 

Our Nation owes these LGBT youth access to the same dream that we have promised generation after generation before—an equal chance to succeed, to reach higher 

than those who came before you. That promise has been denied to far too many people in our Nation’s history. Over the years, we have worked hard to change that— 

not always perfectly, sometimes stumbling in the effort. But with laws like the Civil 

Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Congress has taken 

great strides to ensure that workers are judged on merit, not characteristics like 

race, gender and religion, which have nothing to do with someone’s ability to do a 

job. By passing ENDA, Congress can remove one more barrier to ensuring that all 

Americans can succeed. 

Fortunately, support for job protections for LGBT people is very strong among the 

American people and American businesses. Fairness is a fundamental American 

value, so it should come as no surprise that there has been majority of Americans 

supporting equal job opportunities for gays and lesbians for decades. Gallup has 

polled on this question regularly since 1978—when 56 percent of Americans already 

supported workplace equality—and in the last several years, support has reached 

89 percent. It’s rare that 89 percent of the American people agree on anything. 

Other polls have shown that this support crosses ideological and demographic lines. 

A 2011 poll conducted for HRC by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research found that 

77 percent of Americans favor protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender peo-
60 

1Log Cabin Republicans is the only Republican organization dedicated to representing the interests of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans and their allies. The 30- 

year old organization has State and local chapters nationwide, a full-time office in Washington, 

DC, a Federal political action committee and State political action committees. Log Cabin works 

to build a stronger, more inclusive Republican Party by promoting the core values of limited 

government, individual liberty, personal responsibility, free markets and a strong national defense while advocating for the freedom and equality of LGBT Americans. 

ple from workplace discrimination, including 70 percent of Republicans, 67 percent 

of conservatives, 69 percent of seniors, 74 percent of born-again Christians and 72 

percent of residents of the Deep South. A 2007 Hart Research poll showed strong 

majority support specifically for ENDA among white, African-American and Latino 

voters. 

America’s top companies and many small businesses also support equal employment opportunities for LGBT people, which is why corporate America has taken the 

lead on the issue of workplace equality. These successful employers know that in 

order to remain competitive in a global marketplace, they must recruit and retain 

the best possible talent, regardless of irrelevant characteristics like sexual orientation and gender identity. Currently, 86 percent of Fortune 500 companies have implemented non-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation. Half of those 

companies also cover gender identity in their policies—up from only three companies 

in 2000. More than 90 major corporations and almost 60 small businesses have 

joined the Business Coalition for Workplace Fairness, a group that actively lobbies 

Congress in support of ENDA. These companies represent a wide range of geography and industry, and include: Alcoa, American Airlines, BP America, Citigroup, 

Clear Channel Communications, Coca-Cola, Dow Chemical, Ernst & Young, General 

Mills, General Motors, Google, Kaiser Permanente, Marriot International, Microsoft, 

Nationwide, Nike, Sara Lee, Time Warner, Whirlpool and Xerox. Without any requirement under Federal law, these companies have taken affirmative steps to ensure that their LGBT employees have an equal chance to contribute and succeed. 

We applaud their leadership and urge Congress to follow suit. 

As President of the Human Rights Campaign®, I am privileged to speak on behalf 

of our membership and the broader LGBT community, for individuals who do not 

have the chance to come before Congress and ask for the equal opportunity that 

they deserve. They are gay and lesbian breadwinners determined to keep a steady 

paycheck for the family at home that they can’t talk about. They are transgender 

job-seekers with highly sought skills and experiences who face rejection after rejection because of who they are. They are young LGBT people who look around their 

hometowns and see no future for people like them. 

On behalf of all of them, I urge you to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination 

Act. Over the past half-century, our Nation has moved steadily closer to making the 

American Dream a reality for all Americans. Congress and the President have recognized that race, sex, national origin, religion, age and disability are irrelevant to 

the ability of a person to do a job and have enacted laws to address discrimination 

based on those characteristics. These civil rights laws have improved job opportunities for millions of Americans, raising standards of living and providing hope of a 

better future for each successive generation. Congress must act to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans have access to that same opportunity. 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF THE LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS

EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT AND THE FREEDOM TO WORK

Log Cabin Republicans1 support passage of S. 811, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) because preventing discrimination in the workplace is not just 

the right thing to do—it’s good for any business’s bottom line and vital to the American economy as a whole. Joining with a coalition of major American employers, Log 

Cabin Republicans view ENDA as closely tied to the need for job creation and the 

conservative principles of hard work, personal responsibility and individual liberty. 

Workplace discrimination, for any reason, is un-American, unfair, and unwise. 

The secret to our Nation’s success in building the most qualified, dedicated, and 

competent workforce is our status as a free society, where people have the opportunity to pursue any career they wish, and the ability to succeed or fail based on 

their own efforts, merit, and good fortune. Unfortunately, that foundation for our 

national success is undermined when millions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and 

transgender (LGBT) Americans fear that they may lose their jobs due solely to their 

sexual orientation or gender identity. 
61 

2Ken Charles of General Mills, June 12th before the Senate HELP Committee. 

3http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/politics-and-pride/2012/mar/19/ 

military-lockheed-martin-glbt-inclusiveness/. 4http://www.washingtonblade.com/2012/04/24/eeoc-ruling-on-trans-rights-triggers-new-callfor-enda/. 5http://www.freedomtowork.org/?pagelid=39. 

Today, 4.3 million LGBT Americans live in the 29 States without basic protections 

from workplace discrimination. Especially in a job market distinguished by high unemployment and underemployment, the fear of losing a paycheck for being gay or 

transgender is very real. This fear translates into significant losses in workplace 

productivity, leading some to say that ‘‘discrimination is a tax on the American 

economy.’’ 2

Leaders of the private sector know that nondiscrimination is good for business, 

and many businesses are taking active steps to make all employees feel valued and 

welcome. Among Fortune 500 companies, 86 percent have non-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation. Even Wal-Mart, which defines conservative oldfashioned American values, safeguards workers from discrimination and harassment 

based on both sexual orientation and gender identity. 

While the progress made by American companies like Lockheed Martin,3 General 

Mills and Sarah Lee is real, so is the potential for harm from lingering anti-gay 

bias. Many LGBT Americans still report experiencing direct employment bigotry, 

and a full 25 percent say they are not comfortable ‘‘being myself ’’ at work. We live 

in a fast-moving economy where communication and teamwork are vital. The detachment and emotional burden of the closet are a drag on American excellence, 

productivity, and freedom that we simply cannot afford. Like the military’s former 

‘‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’’ policy, workplace discrimination is detrimental to productivity, and there are serious negative ramifications when employees feel forced to 

live a redacted life, carefully guarding every word and gesture, unable to confide in 

their colleagues or lying out of fear of losing their job. 

The complexity of the American economy and the patchwork nature of current 

LGBT protections also speak to the need for Federal employment non-discrimination 

legislation. The freedom to work is hindered when an employee can be hired in one 

State with legal assurance that they will not be discriminated against for who they 

are, and then faces being transferred to a new office in a State where he and his 

family run the risk that his career could be ended due to anti-LGBT discrimination. 

Likewise, the inconsistent and complicated nature of legal employment protections, 

which can vary State by State or even by municipality within States, places a burden on employers. After the recent U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission determination that Title VII of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 covers gender 

identity, there is a real need for clarity that ENDA would provide once and for all.4

It is significant that the National Federation of Independent Businesses and the 

U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which as a rule are staunchly opposed to any invasive 

or harmful regulation of businesses, are neutral on ENDA. 

ENDA enjoys a long history of bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, 

and Log Cabin Republicans are grateful for the leadership of Senators Susan Collins 

(R–ME), Mark Kirk (R–IL) and Olympia Snowe (R–ME) in promoting this important 

legislation, and for recent Statements by Republican National Committee Chairman 

Reince Priebus in support of ‘‘equal rights in regard to discrimination in the workplace.’’ This Republican support extends to the American population at large, with 

recent polls showing that significant majorities of Republicans (66 percent) and 

independents (74 percent) support workplace nondiscrimination laws for LGBT 

Americans.5 Republicans support it, businesses support it, and LGBT Americans 

need it. It is time to pass ENDA. 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE ACTION

FUND, REA CAREY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Mr. Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and members of the committee, we thank Chairman Harkin and the committee for holding a hearing on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), S. 811. On behalf of the National Gay and Lesbian Task 

Force—the oldest national organization advocating for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people—we urge you to support this critically important legislation. Hard work and fair treatment are core American values and no 

American should be denied the opportunity to work because of factors unrelated to 

job performance. 

Improvements in the Nation’s current economic crisis hinge on the talents and expertise of a fully functioning workplace. An analysis of Census 2000 data shows a 
62 

1Gates and Florida, 2002. The link between diversity and economic success was first proposed 

in a paper that examined 5 urban centers with the largest LGBT population—San Francisco, 

Washington, DC, Austin, Atlanta and San Diego. Richard Florida’s research in this arena suggests a strong linkage between equal justice in the workplace and creativity and success within 

companies and communities. 

strong link between thriving tech-oriented economies and diverse populations, including those with high LGBT populations. Workplace equity encourages regional 

growth centers, as top-notch employees have migrated to centers where they can be 

assured that their talents will not be suppressed due to legal inequities and arbitrary prejudices. ENDA will grow our communities and ensure that all Americans 

have an equal playing field as they seek to secure a livelihood for their families.1

Currently, the playing field is far from even. Analyses of existing studies and new 

data suggest that up to two thirds of LGB people—and nearly all transgender people—have experienced employment discrimination. ENDA is essential to addressing 

this widespread problem. 

LGBT AMERICANS FACE HIGH LEVELS OF EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION

Over 50 studies of discrimination against LGB people have established that they 

face significant barriers to equality. Fewer studies have been conducted about discrimination against transgender people; our work surveying 6,450 transgender and 

gender non-conforming people about gender identity-based discrimination in the 

workplace begins to fill that gap. Further research is needed, particularly the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity in population-based surveys of the 

workforce, such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics surveys. 

Discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the workplace persists despite the increasing visibility of these communities and improved 

local and statewide protections against anti-LGBT prejudice and violence. 

A 2007 meta-analysis by the Williams Institute of 50 studies of workplace discrimination against LGBT people found consistent evidence of bias in the workplace. 

Critical concerns such as overt discrimination, firing, denial of promotion or negative performance evaluation (based on bias) ranged as follows: 

• 16 percent to 68 percent of LGBT people report experiencing employment discrimination; 

• 8 percent to 17 percent were fired or denied employment; 

• 10 percent to 28 percent were denied a promotion or given negative performance evaluations; 

• 7 percent to 41 percent were verbally/physically abused or had their workplace 

vandalized; 

• 10 percent to 19 percent reported receiving unequal pay or benefits. 

These stark realities, often minimized as a problem of subjective ‘‘self-reporting,’’ 

have been confirmed in a study that surveyed observations of heterosexual co-workers. Researchers querying heterosexuals about witnessing discrimination against 

their LGB peers found that 12 percent to 30 percent of respondents in certain occupations, such as the legal profession, have witnessed anti-LGB discrimination in employment. 

Discrimination and attendant loss of income and benefits can lead to poverty for 

LGB people over their life-span. According to the Williams Institute, lesbian couples 

have a poverty rate of 6.9 percent compared to 5.4 percent for opposite-sex married 

couples and 4.0 percent for gay male couples. Outcomes are more severe when we 

examine LGB families. When we calculate the poverty rates for families comprised 

of two adults and their children, the poverty rate for lesbian families is 9.4 percent 

compared to 6.7 percent for those in opposite-sex married couple families and 5.5 

percent for those in gay male-coupled families. In general, lesbian couples have 

much higher poverty rates than either opposite-sex couples or gay male couples. 

Lesbians who are 65 or older are twice as likely to be poor as heterosexual married 

couples. 

Poverty rates for children of same-sex couples are twice as high as poverty rates 

for children of opposite-sex couples. Although gay and lesbian couples are less likely 

to have children in their households than are heterosexual married couples, children 

of same-sex couples are twice as likely to be poor as children of married couples. 

One out of every five children under 18 years old living in a same-sex couple family 

is poor, compared to almost 1 in 10 (9.4 percent) children in opposite-sex married 

couple families. The research points to the negative outcomes of discrimination for 

LGB people and refutes the common misconception that gay people have more dis-
63 

2The Williams Institute: Bias in the Workplace: Consistent Evidence of Sexual Orientation and 

Gender Identity Discrimination, 2007 and Poverty in the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Community, 

2009. 

posable income than others. Workplace discrimination negatively affects the entire 

family.2

NATIONAL STUDY FINDS RAMPANT WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION

The Bureau of Labor Statistics fails to ask sexual orientation and gender identity 

questions in its annual data collection efforts, making it impossible to get randomized data on LGBT people’s experiences of workplace discrimination. Instead, the 

work of chronicling the community’s experiences of bias has been left to communitybased organizations and a handful of pioneering researchers and institutes. While 

the data on discrimination against LGB people is relatively scarce, there have been 

even fewer studies on the workplace experiences of transgender Americans. 

To address this gap, in a joint effort with the National Center for Transgender 

Equality, the Task Force recently published Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of 

The National Transgender Discrimination Survey, which documents the discrimination transgender people experience in employment, education, health care, housing, 

public accommodation, criminal justice, family life, and access to governmental documents. Over a 6-month period, we surveyed 6,450 transgender people throughout 

the United States via an extensive questionnaire, including people in every State 

as well as Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Until 

this study, data on the prevalence of discrimination against transgender people has 

been limited to small studies and anecdotal reports. 

Our key finding is this: the state of the workplace for transgender Americans is 

absolutely shameful. 

Discrimination in employment against transgender people is a nearly universal 

experience. 

• Ninety percent (90 percent) of our sample reports mistreatment or discrimination on the job or taking actions like hiding who they are to avoid it. • Nearly half (47 percent) lost their jobs, or were denied a job or promotion as 

a direct result of being transgender. These statistics are alarming and have multiple, spiraling negative effects on quality of life. 

Transgender Americans face twice the rate of unemployment (14 percent) as the 

general population for our sample during the time of the study (7 percent). Black 

transgender people reported nearly four times the rate of unemployment as the general population (28 percent), while Latino and multi-racial transgender people experienced nearly three times the rate of unemployment. 

High unemployment had predictably detrimental effects on income, with participants in our study experiencing twice the level of extreme poverty as those in the 

general population. Census figures for 2005–7 show 7 percent of the general population living on incomes at or below $10,000 while our study found 15 percent in 

this income category. Transgender people who lost a job due to bias were six times 

as likely to be living on an annual household income under $10,000 (24 percent) as 

the general U.S. population (4 percent). Again, transgender people of color struggle 

with poverty at significantly higher rates, with 23 percent of multiracial 

transgender people living on $10,000 or less, Latinos/as at 28 percent, and AfricanAmerican transgender people at an outrageous 34 percent. In response to high levels of employment discrimination, many transgender people resort to underground 

economies like sex work and drug sales to survive. In our sample 16 percent said 

they had been compelled to engage in underground employment for income and 11 

percent turned to sex work to survive. 

Future employment success is also impacted by the discrimination that respondents experienced in educational settings. Those who reported mistreatment in school 

were 50 percent less likely to earn $50,000/year than the general population. Our 

study also found that leaving school because of intolerable harassment was associated with future unemployment. Nineteen percent (19 percent) of those who had to 

leave school because of harassment reported being unemployed as compared with 

11 percent of those who did not. Physical abuse in school settings also had significant impact on future employment, the lack thereof, or participation in underground 

economies like sex work and drug sales. Those who were physically attacked in 

school were far more likely to stay in a job they would prefer to leave (64 percent) 

compared to those who were not (42 percent). Similarly, 47 percent of those who 

were physically assaulted in school ‘‘did not seek a promotion or raise’’ in order to 

avoid discrimination as opposed to 27 percent of those who were not. Perhaps most 

notable, 32 percent of those who were physically assaulted at school also reported 
64 

doing sex work or other work in the underground economy as compared to 14 percent of those who were not assaulted. Thirty-nine percent (39 percent) of those who 

had to leave school ‘‘because the harassment was so bad’’ reported doing sex work 

or other work in the underground economy. Experiences of discrimination and abuse 

in school settings can and do reflect the discrimination perpetuated in future employment. 

Even when transgender people resiliently pursue traditional tools of economic advancement like education, rampant discrimination prevents them from earning requisite incomes. Despite the fact that 27 percent of our sample attained a college degree and 20 percent went to graduate school or received a professional degree, educational attainment did not protect respondents from experiencing poverty. Our 

sample is 4–5 times more likely than the general population to have a household 

income of less than $10,000 per year at each education level. For example, 8 percent 

of those who achieved a bachelor’s degree or higher in our sample still made less 

than $10,000/year as compared to only 2 percent of the general population, and 42 

percent of our respondents who did not have a high school diploma made less than 

$10,000 per year as compared with 9 percent of the general population without a 

high school diploma. The study’s findings of higher levels of poverty, incarceration, 

homelessness, and poor health outcomes among respondents demonstrate the power 

of anti-transgender bias to overwhelmingly outweigh educational attainment designed to increase employment opportunities. 

Survey respondents experienced a series of devastating negative outcomes, many 

of which stem from the discrimination they face in employment. A large percentage 

of our sample experienced negative impacts on their housing security as a direct result of their gender identity, with almost one-fifth of respondents becoming homeless 

because they are transgender. Additionally, respondents who had lost a job due to 

bias were four times more likely to have experienced homelessness due to bias (40 

percent) than those who did not lose a job due to bias (10 percent). Of the 19 percent 

of respondents who experienced homelessness, 29 percent were denied access to a 

shelter because they were transgender or gender non-conforming. This trend is even 

more devastating for Latina/o and Black respondents who reported 45 percent, and 

40 percent denial of access to homeless shelters, respectively. The tremendous impact of employment discrimination reaches into the most fundamental aspects of 

transgender people’s lives. 

Employment issues also impact transgender people’s access to health care. 

Transgender and gender non-conforming people do not have adequate health insurance coverage or access to competent providers. Respondents in our sample are more 

likely to be uninsured (19 percent) than the general population (17 percent) and 

only 51 percent of the sample enjoys employer-based insurance coverage, compared 

to 58 percent of the population at large. Not only were respondents less likely to 

be insured, but individuals with the highest rates of postponing care when sick or 

injured included those who have lost a job due to bias (45 percent). Another barrier 

to meaningful health care access, the study reflects, is that 50 percent of respondents had to teach their medical provider about transgender care. These figures underscore how employment discrimination often leads to unemployment or severe 

under-employment, which creates multiple liabilities for our sample. 

These statistics and the remainder of the NTDS study reflect that transgender 

people face injustice and discrimination in acquiring, sustaining, and advancing in 

meaningful employment. Without work, transgender people are at the mercy of public accommodation and support systems that are unwelcoming at best, and more 

often, actively hostile. 

ENDA BENEFITS REAL PEOPLE

As the National Transgender Discrimination Study and those of the Williams Institute demonstrate, employment discrimination against LGBT people is more prevalent and widespread than ever imagined. 

Our mandate today is clear: employment protections are paramount. 

Because the law protects LGBT people in only 44 percent of the country, and 

many of the protections are in the form of hard-to-enforce local laws, there is unfortunately very little LGBT people can do to seek redress. Where there are laws and 

complaint processes, LGBT employees are often reluctant to utilize these processes 

because they must ‘‘out’’ themselves to members of the community or to future employers when they file official complaints, thus further exposing themselves to continued discrimination and retribution. 

ENDA is crucial because it will create a Federal standard that imposes a baseline 

of respect and equal treatment for LGBT people, while specifically addressing a des-
65 

perate need for protections for transgender people in the workplace that are demonstrated by our survey data. 

ENDA recognizes that a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity bears no 

relationship to their work performance and provides the same protections for sexual 

orientation and gender identity that all people receive for race, color, religion, sex, 

and national origin under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. ENDA does not give special protection; it covers heterosexual and non-transgender people if they are discriminated against as well. 

Nevertheless, those who are the most likely to benefit from this legislation are 

members of the LGBT community. Nearly every type of employer regularly engages 

in discrimination: there is no sector, private or public, technical, skilled or unskilled, 

in which LGBT people are safe from discrimination. In their capacities as employers, State governments have acted as every other employer by engaging in widespread patterns of employment discrimination against LGBT employees and applicants. When 90 percent of transgender people experience mistreatment and harassment in employment and report rampant unemployment and underemployment, as 

our study demonstrates, it is clear that no employment sector is blameless. 

Below are a few examples of the employment discrimination and problems with 

underemployment that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people have endured 

in the workplace simply for being who they are. 

Public Sector Employment Discrimination 

Laura Calvo 

Laura Calvo, a transgender woman in her 50’s who resides in Portland, OR, 

worked for the Josephine County, OR Sheriff’s Office for 16 years as a Deputy Sheriff and Sergeant. During the course of her employment, she served in many capacities: shift supervisor, Sheriff Sub-Station Commander, Detective in the Major 

Crimes Unit, Detective in the Josephine County Interagency Narcotics Task Force, 

S.W.A.T. team leader and Commander. Laura remained closeted in the workplace 

because she wanted to carry on a responsible career where she could contribute to 

society and knew if her transgender status was discovered she would be terminated. 

In October 1996, Laura Calvo was the victim of a burglary and many of her personal belongings were stolen. In the course of the recovery effort her transgender 

identity was discovered by her employers. She was called into her supervisor’s office 

and told she could not retrieve her belongings because they needed to be examined 

for evidence of violations of department policy and potential crimes. She was then 

ordered by her supervisor to undergo a psychiatric determination for fitness of duty 

to return to work. The panel of doctors, selected by the Sheriff’s office, determined 

she was not fit to return to duty. Laura was told that she could not return to work 

and that the Sheriff thought she was a ‘‘freak.’’ Laura was then forced to resign. 

Source: Testimony to the Oregon State Senate, 2007. 

Alexandra 

Prior to Illinois passing a gender identity inclusive non-discrimination law in 

2002, Alexandra*, a transgender woman, worked in an Illinois State government office at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, IL. She transitioned from male to 

female at work with the help of her therapist who met with staff and supervisors. 

At this meeting, Alexandra’s supervisors told her to continue to use the men’s restroom. After the meeting, her supervisor and co-workers persisted in calling her by 

her male name and referring to her as ‘‘he.’’ Alexandra voiced her issue with this, 

asking to be treated as the woman she had transitioned to become. She was told 

by her supervisor that she was acting confrontationally. This ‘‘confrontationalism’’ 

was cited as a reason Alexandra needed to improve her personal relations at work. 

The supervisor claimed that the staff is trying to make ‘‘adjustments’’ for Alexandra, 

but the supervisor was one of the biggest culprits who continued to call Alexandra 

by male pronouns. Alexandra went to the steward of her union to ask for assistance 

in this matter, but even the steward did not want to help. Now, Alexandra believes 

she may have to get her own representation to deal with discrimination she has 

faced in the workplace. *Note: This is not the true name of the victim to protect 

her privacy. 

Source: 6th Report on Discrimination and Hate Crimes Against Gender Variant People. It’s Time, Illinois . . . Political Action for the Gender Variant Community, 

Spring 2002 

Ronald Fanelle 

Ronald Fanelle taught seventh and eighth graders at a California middle school. 

The other faculty and the principal knew that Ronald was gay, but his students did 

not. A month after Ronald and his partner were married in February 2004, his co- 
66 

workers congratulated him at a staff meeting. Then a teacher told his students that 

Ronald had gotten married to a man over the weekend and the news spread around 

the school. Ronald’s students asked if it was true that he married a man. Ronald 

told them it was true. 

In the following weeks, one parent, a personal friend of the school board president, vocalized his opposition to a gay man teaching in the school and arbitrarily 

accused him of bringing ‘‘his homosexual agenda into the classroom.’’ The school 

hired a private investigator to investigate the situation and Ronald’s background. 

Nothing damaging emerged. Ronald, however, received hate mail on his school email account and dozens of viruses were sent to the district, which shut down its 

system. Ronald was instructed in writing to open a private e-mail account in order 

for parents and students to communicate with him. 

In the following year, a few students created an anti-gay Web page that ridiculed 

Ronald. Offensive stickers relating to Ronald’s sexual orientation were posted all 

over the school. The principal called a meeting prior to the new 2006–7 school year. 

In the meeting, the principal made disparaging comments to Ronald in front of another principal, the union president, and the district’s superintendent of personnel. 

His principal went on to tell Ronald: ‘‘Your problem is you’re angry because no one 

will accept your gay marriage!’’ 

The school district then began interrogating students about Ronald. The students 

reported that Ronald did not talk about his personal life and he was well-liked. A 

week later, the superintendent of personnel formally disciplined Ronald for ‘‘inappropriate e-mail communication’’ with students and parents because Ronald was 

sending e-mail from a private e-mail account instead of his school account. Ronald 

was only using a private account because the school had shut down his school account, due to the amount of hate mail and viruses. Over 3 years, four students were 

removed from Ronald’s classroom because their parents disapproved of his sexual 

orientation. The district’s response to Ronald was simply stated as: ‘‘It’s a conflict 

of family values.’’ In February 2007, due to the principal’s and the district’s harassment, Ronald took an extended sick leave. 

Source: American Civil Liberties Union, Living in the Shadows: Ending Employment 

Discrimination for LGBT Americans, 2007. 

Alynna Lunaris 

Alynna Lunaris, a transgender woman from Maryland, was employed at the 

Washington Humane Society (WHS), a non-profit that receives a government contract from the District of Columbia for animal control services. She was first hired 

by WHS in January 2005 as a front desk assistant at the District of Columbia Animal Shelter where she was quickly promoted to the Animal Control Officer position. 

In June 2006, Alynna began taking hormones and making other steps as part of her 

transition from male to female in all areas of her life. In September 2006, she took 

a vacation and, informed management that she would be returning as a woman. 

When she returned, Alynna submitted a court order showing her change of name, 

as well as a copy of her new driver’s license, which designated her as a female. 

Within 2 weeks of her return, however, she experienced discrimination from WHS 

management. This began when a promotion to Field Services Supervisor became 

available. WHS management had initially asked Alynna to apply for a Field Services Supervisor position only to be told later that her application would not be considered. 

Over the next 5 months she suffered discriminatory conditions fostered by two 

managers. The managers continually referred to Alynna using male pronouns and 

were otherwise hostile toward Alynna. The situation escalated to the point where 

WHS transferred her to a position in the private law enforcement department that 

was not under the control of those two managers. Alynna worked for the next 6 

months without incident, receiving many compliments on her work. Things were 

going well until the executive director left his position. One of the managers who 

had unfairly treated Alynna in her previous position was promoted to interim executive director. Upon the manager’s promotion, the harassment and discrimination 

began again. Within 3 months, Alynna was fired from WHS by e-mail after management had filed several fabricated incident reports against her. Alynna has filed a 

complaint with the District of Columbia’s Office of Human Rights which enforces 

the city’s transgender-inclusive nondiscrimination law and has recently received 

preliminary findings related to probable cause. The appeals process is underway. 

Source: Testimony to the Maryland House of Delegates, February 25, 2009 and Senate, March 3, 2009; Conversation between Thomas Bousnakis, Task Force Fellow 

and Alynna Lunaris, 2009. 
67 

Private Sector Discrimination 

Linda Czyzyk 

Linda is an attorney and her partner is a college professor who teaches biology 

and genetics. The couple lived in North Carolina and Linda worked at a law firm 

where she was openly gay. When Linda’s partner accepted a faculty position at a 

university in Virginia, the couple needed to relocate to Virginia. 

In August 2000, Linda had a phone interview with a law firm in Virginia and was 

invited for a second interview at the firm’s office. During the interview, the firm repeatedly asked her why she was moving to Virginia. Linda replied that her spouse 

had taken a position at a local university, making sure that she avoided using pronouns. The law firm asked Linda to come back for a third interview, but this time 

she was told to bring her spouse because the interview would include a dinner with 

all the partners and their spouses ‘‘to make sure we all got along.’’ 

Linda told the only female partner at the law firm that her spouse was a woman. 

The female partner said that was fine by her, but she would have to inform the 

other two partners at the firm. After talking to the male partners, the female partner called Linda back to tell her that the male partners said the firm would not 

hire a lesbian and Linda should not bother coming to the third interview. 

Source: American Civil Liberties Union, Living in the Shadows: Ending Employment 

Discrimination for LGBT Americans, 2007. 

Tony 

Tony*, a transgender man, was employed for 13 years by a nightclub in San Francisco, CA, a State that includes gender identity in its employment non-discrimination law. Tony informed his employers that he is transgender and his direct supervisor began egregiously harassing him. Tony’s supervisor repeatedly asked Tony inappropriate questions about his body and his sexual preferences. The supervisor refused to address Tony with male pronouns and often made comments to Tony such 

as, ‘‘You are not a real man.’’ Tony was demoted from a high level management position to a low level service position and his pay was severely cut. He became incredibly depressed. The harassment escalated over many months and finally culminated 

in an incident wherein Tony’s supervisor chased Tony in the club calling him a 

‘‘freak’’ and a ‘‘b**ch’’ and threatening him with physical violence. Tony could no 

longer handle the harassment and was forced to quit his job. Tony brought a lawsuit 

against his former employer under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act, 

which bars discrimination based on gender identity, and reached a favorable settlement. *This is not the true name of the victim to protect his privacy. 

Source: Transgender Law Center, Kristina Wertz, Legal Director. 

Juan Moreno 

Juan is a Latino community college student studying nursing who also works to 

help support his single mom and teenage sister. Juan applied for a part-time job 

at a local fast food restaurant where his friend worked. He interviewed with a shift 

manager in February 2007. He had a successful interview with the shift manager 

who told Juan’s friend that Juan would work out. The shift manager recommended 

to the store manager that Juan be hired. The store manager knew Juan was friends 

with a current employee and had seen Juan come into the store to visit his friend. 

The store manager asked Juan’s friend: ‘‘Is he into men or women?’’ Juan’s friend 

informed the store manager that Juan was gay, but then asked, ‘‘what does that 

have to do with hiring him?’’ The store manager replied: ‘‘I’m the head manager and 

I can do what I want to do.’’ Juan was not hired. 

Source: American Civil Liberties Union, Living in the Shadows: Ending Employment 

Discrimination for LGBT Americans, 2007. 

Jacqui Charvet 

Jacqui Charvet, a transgender woman, worked for 10 years as a consultant in 

computer technology with a firm with clients in the New Jersey and New York 

areas, with 16 years of computer technology experience that preceded her years as 

a consultant. Numerous consulting clients were within the State of New Jersey Government Departments, including with the NJ Department of Health, NJ Department of Treasury, and NJ Department of Human Services. Jacqui let her supervisor 

know that between assignments she planned to undergo gender transition, and at 

the next assignment would be coming to work as her new gender, including using 

her new name, (Jacqui), dressing as other women employees, and that female pronouns would be appropriate for her at that point. She planned to transition between 

assignments to keep the process as smooth as possible. However, instead of supporting her transition, her supervisor laid her off, refusing to assign her new work. 
68 

For the next 31⁄2 years, Jacqui was unable to find a job in the public or private 

sphere in New Jersey. Upon discovering she was transgender, many potential employers turned her away. Interviewers for one position told Jacqui that they wanted 

to hire a ‘‘real man’’ for the position. With 26 years of total work experience, and 

10 years as a consultant at the firm that ‘‘laid’’ her off, Jacqui found she was forced 

to leave to find employment with a private company in Florida that hired her after 

a phone interview. 

Source: Conversations between Task Force staff and Jacqui Charvet, 2008 & 2009. 

Brooke Waits 

Brooke worked as the inventory control manager for a cell phone vendor. In the 

4-months Brooke worked for the company, her supervisor continually praised her 

work. Brooke was not out as transgender to her co-workers at the store. She was 

quiet and kept to herself because she did not fit in with female coworkers and the 

male coworkers told a lot of lesbian jokes. In an effort to avoid controversy, Brooke 

did not say anything when her co-workers made anti-gay jokes and derogatory comments. 

In May 2006, Brooke’s manager approached Brooke’s desk to ask her a question. 

Brooke was on the other side of the room sending a fax. Brooke’s manager picked 

up Brooke’s cell phone off of her desk, opened it, and then exclaimed ‘‘Oh my goodness!’’ Brooke’s manager had seen the screen saver inside Brooke’s cell phone, which 

was a picture of Brooke and her partner sharing a New Year’s Eve kiss. Brooke’s 

manager immediately left the room and did not speak to Brooke for the rest of the 

day. Later, Brooke overheard the manager tell another co-worker, ‘‘I knew there was 

something off about her.’’ 

When Brooke arrived at work the next day, her manager asked to speak with her 

immediately and fired Brooke. When Brooke asked why, the manager told her that 

they needed someone more ‘‘dependable.’’ Brooke told the manager that she was dependable and, in fact, had been coming to work an hour early every day to work 

on implementing the new inventory system. The manager replied: ‘‘I’m sorry, we 

just need to let you go.’’ 

Source: American Civil Liberties Union, Living in the Shadows: Ending Employment 

Discrimination for LGBT Americans, 2007. 

Dylan Scholinski 

Dylan Scholinski, a transgender man, lives on the edge of poverty despite holding 

a master’s degree and writing an award-winning memoir of his institutionalization 

as a teenager for ‘‘gender identity disorder.’’ Dylan was forced into ‘‘treatment’’ from 

the ages of 14–17 that included mandatory make-up sessions and the wearing of 

skirts and other traditionally feminine attire to ‘‘cure’’ him of his gender identity. 

Now in his 40’s, despite having experienced life-long depression as a result of abuse 

from teachers, medical providers and mental health professionals, Dylan has never 

qualified for disability as is commonly available to people with PTSD and debilitating depression. Dylan currently runs a free teen suicide prevention arts program 

out of an art studio in Denver, CO. He is not compensated for his work, despite 

serving hundreds of LGBT youth struggling with gender identity and sexual orientation issues. Having lived his youth in enforced isolation and torment, he is committed to creating a safe space for LGBT youth in his community. Dylan continues 

to search for sustainable income to no avail. 

Source: Conversation between Jaime Grant, Ph.D, Task Force Policy Institute and 

Dylan Scholinksi, 2009. 

Janice Dye 

Janice worked as a mechanic in an oil change service center in San Diego. Janice 

got along well with the other mechanics at the service center, who were excited to 

have a female mechanic working with them. Janice was out at work and her 

girlfriend occasionally brought her lunch. The service center’s management, however, was not supportive of Janice. Janice was the only female mechanic in the shop, 

as well as the only African-American and lesbian employee. 

In 1997, Janice applied for a 3-month training program to become an assistant 

manager. At the end of the training program, she had to take timed tests. Janice 

was fired because she could not complete an oil change in less than 10 minutes. 

However, management made her do the oil change alone, even though the usual 

procedure was to use two workers to complete an oil change (one in the ground pit 

below the car, and one on the ground floor at the car’s hood). Janice’s coworkers 

told her that they heard managers in the break room saying: ‘‘we won’t let that 

lesbo-bitch get that job.’’ 
69 

After being fired, Janice left the service center and started to work at another location owned by the same company. She hoped she would not be discriminated 

against at the new location, but the managers treated her the same. She had to take 

the same test of completing an oil change in 10 minute and, again, she had to do 

the oil change alone (taking time to run up and down the stairs to the pit below 

the car). Management did not even let her finish the oil change because she had 

gone over the 10-minute limit. After 10 minutes, the manager yelled: ‘‘time’s up’’ 

and ‘‘you’re fired.’’ 

Source: American Civil Liberties Union, Living in the Shadows: Ending Employment 

Discrimination for LGBT Americans, 2007. 

Michelle Hansen 

Michelle Hansen is an Episcopal priest and computer industry trainer who lives 

in Connecticut. Michelle worked successfully at a medium-sized computer repair and 

training company for nearly 18 years, the latter part of her time as the company’s 

senior technical trainer. In June 2004, a week after notifying her employer of her 

plans to transition from male to female, she was terminated from her job. Michelle’s 

employer claims to have terminated her for economic reasons; however, the company 

had recently hired two other employees who were not fully trained or certified. 

Michelle has two Master’s degrees from Yale University and a long list of certifications in the computer industry, but she has not been able to find employment 

since being terminated several years ago. 

Source: Testimony to the Judiciary Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly, 

2009. 

Brad Nadeau 

In April 2002, an insurance company in Bangor, ME employed Brad as a receptionist. After about a month, Brad was called into a meeting for his performance 

review. All of his work was rated satisfactory—he was not told that any areas of 

performance needed improvement. In fact, Brad trained a new employee who was 

hired a couple weeks after he was hired. Brad was not out at work because he was 

concerned that if he was honest about his sexual orientation, he might lose his job. 

On June 2, 2002, Brad’s partner picked him up at work and they went out for 

lunch together. When his partner brought him back to the office, they kissed goodbye in the parking lot. Brad noticed that an agency executive saw their kiss. The 

very same day, Brad was called into a meeting with his supervisor and the executive. His supervisor told Brad that he was being fired because his work was not satisfactory, despite his positive performance evaluation and the fact that he had over 

4 years of office and administrative work experience. 

Brad’s termination seems to have violated company policy. The company policy 

states that the company is ‘‘committed to providing a work environment that is free 

of discrimination.’’ The company also has a policy of progressive discipline, which 

the company states is ‘‘intended to give employees advance notice, whenever possible, of problems with their conduct or performance in order to provide them an 

opportunity to correct any problems.’’ Regardless, the company did not give Brad 

any warning before they fired him. 

Source: American Civil Liberties Union, Living in the Shadows: Ending Employment 

Discrimination for LGBT Americans, 2007. 

Kim Dower 

Kim Dower is a transgender woman who is employed as a pharmacist in Colorado. 

After working for 9 years as a pharmacist, Kim told her employer of her future 

plans to transition from male to female. In March 2004, Kim was ready to start 

coming to work as herself, but her employer informed her that she would not be 

allowed to work at the pharmacy unless she continued to dress as a man. In effect, 

this would block her from transitioning to her new gender at work. In response, Kim 

filed a claim under Denver’s anti-discrimination ordinance. She was given a preliminary ruling in her favor. However, this only resulted in mandatory mediation. In 

this mediation, Kim’s employer refused to allow her to present as a woman unless 

she signed a nondisclosure agreement that would prevent her from telling anyone 

that she had won her case and that people in Denver do have the right to transition 

gender at work. Kim, wanting to be able to share her story so that other 

transgender people would know they have rights to transition and dress as themselves at work, refused to agree to the gag order. An entire year passed with her 

employer threatening to fire her if she came to work dressed as herself. Eventually, 

with great trepidation, she came to work dressed as a woman hoping that her employer would choose not to fire her as they had threatened. To Kim’s surprise the 

employer did not take action against her. All in all, it was a terrible year for Kim, 
70 

unsure that the local law would be strong enough to protect her if she came to work 

as her true self. 

Source: Testimony to the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, July 30, 2009. 

John Schumacher 

John is a Marine veteran who worked the overnight shift as stocker and ‘‘four 

star’’ cashier at a large retail store in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. In 3 years on 

the job, he was named ‘‘Associate of the Month’’ four times. He is the primary breadwinner because his partner has a disability. He and the cashier supervisor carpooled 

to work everyday. At the time, the cashier supervisor was not John’s supervisor because John worked in the stockroom. After 3 months of carpooling, John told the 

cashier supervisor he was gay and she immediately began treating him coldly. 

For several months, John was ignored by the cashier supervisor and he went 

about his business. But when John was promoted to cashier, the cashier supervisor 

became his direct supervisor. ‘‘It was hell, starting off the bat,’’ John said. The cashier supervisor treated John differently than the other cashiers. She assigned John 

stocking tasks in the shelves around the checkout lanes then yelled at him for leaving his register. This pattern of treatment continued over time. John complained to 

the head manager to no avail; each night the cashier supervisor would find a new 

way to make it more difficult for John to do his job. 

On February 5, 2007, John came to work and realized he forgot to bring lunch. 

John called home and asked his partner to bring something for lunch. His partner 

brought him a frozen dinner from home. John ate the dinner in the break room in 

view of other workers and the cashier supervisor. Two weeks later, John was accused of stealing a frozen dinner from the store’s grocery section. He was not able 

to produce a receipt for the frozen dinner because he and his partner had bought 

it weeks before and did not save the receipt. He was fired on the spot. 

Source: American Civil Liberties Union, Living in the Shadows: Ending Employment 

Discrimination for LGBT Americans, 2007. 

Ethan St. Pierre 

Ethan St. Pierre, a transgender man from Massachusetts, was a respected security junior manager at Barton Protective Services, overseeing 30 employees that 

staffed the East Coast offices of Sun Microsystems. He was hired by Barton in 2001 

and received numerous favorable performance evaluations and a number of corresponding pay raises. In 2002, he talked to his direct supervisor at Barton and the 

Sun Microsystems security manager that interfaced with him at Barton about his 

desire and intention to undergo a gender transition from female to male, and generally he was received favorably. When the time was right, an announcement was 

made to the 30 employees Ethan supervised that Ethan was now going to be Ethan 

and would be going by male pronouns. All of his 30 employees treated him with respect, including using his new name and male pronouns. All was fine for 6 months, 

until the senior Sun Microsystems manager interfaced with Ethan for the first time 

since his transition. Following this interaction, The Sun Microsystems senior manager slowly whittled away Ethan’s responsibilities. In the meantime, Ethan’s supportive manager at Barton was replaced by someone who did not respect Ethan. 

This new manager told coworkers, including Ethan’s supervisees, that he did not 

agree with Ethan’s ‘‘lifestyle.’’ One day, this manager informed Ethan that he was 

being removed from his position at Sun Microsystems because the senior manager 

did not believe Ethan could do the job because of his gender transition. Ethan repeatedly asked to be assigned to another of Barton Protective Services’ clients, but 

to no avail. Ultimately, he had to seek unemployment benefits. Ethan’s attempts to 

find other jobs in the security field failed because Barton provided an unfavorable 

job performance review. Ethan was never able to find another job in the security 

field after this experience. 

Source: Testimony of Ethan St. Pierre to the Massachusetts Legislature, available 

at: http://www.masstpc.org/publications/legis/StPierreFiring.pdf. 

Jacinda Meyer 

Jacinda is Latina and a licensed life and health insurance agent in California. She 

worked for a company that administers employee benefits to client companies. After 

she worked at the company for 9 months, she received positive feedback about her 

job performance and was given a raise. Her supervisors even gave her handwritten 

cards to thank her for her good service, teamwork, and positive attitude. 

Throughout her tenure at the company, Jacinda’s supervisors made several derogatory comments about lesbians. One of Jacinda’s supervisors ‘‘warned’’ her before a 

meeting that the client was a lesbian and said: ‘‘I’m telling you now so you don’t 

freak out when you see the pictures of two women on her desk.’’ Jacinda did not 
71 

3See, e.g., Macy v. Holder, EEOC Appeal No. 0120120821, Agency No. ATF–2011–00751 (Apr. 

20, 2012) (finding that discrimination based on gender identity, change of sex, and/or 

transgender status is cognizable under title VII; Schroer v. Billington, 577 F.Supp.2d 293 (2008) 

(D.C. 2008) (holding that transgender plaintiff was protected by title VII both due to sex stereotyping and because discrimination against a person who had changed gender was gender discrimination just as it was religious discrimination to discriminate against a person because they 

changed their religion); Lopez v. River Oaks Imaging & Diagnostic Group, Inc., 542 F. Supp. 

Continued 

respond to this comment but later told another of her supervisors about the conversation. That supervisor asked: ‘‘Do you swing that way?’’ Jacinda replied that she 

was gay. The supervisor said: ‘‘Well, I’m fine with it as long as you don’t kiss or 

hold hands in public.’’ 

Soon after Jacinda came out to her supervisor, the owner of the company approached her and told her about a book, The Road Less Traveled, which helped his 

son, who was a recovering drug addict. Jacinda interpreted the owner’s comment as 

comparing being gay to being a drug addict. Her supervisor gave Jacinda the assignment of reading the book and writing a one-page essay about how it could improve 

her life. 

Jacinda was offended by the book’s characterization of being gay as ‘‘immoral behavior’’. She was also offended by other passages that mentioned masturbation. Additionally, the book’s perspective on spiritual growth made her uncomfortable. 

Jacinda wrote a letter to her supervisor saying she was uncomfortable with the assignment because the book’s message violated her beliefs and she requested that her 

assignment be changed to read another book. After she requested a different assignment, Jacinda’s co-workers stopped talking to her and stopped asking her to join 

them at lunch. Shortly after that, Jacinda was fired on March 23, 2007. The company claimed that she was fired because the company’s revenue was too low, but 

the company hired other people for the same job after they fired Jacinda. 

Source: American Civil Liberties Union, Living in the Shadows: Ending Employment 

Discrimination for LGBT Americans, 2007. 

Michelle 

Michelle is a Navajo transgender woman who was employed as a waitress in California. Michelle was not ‘‘out’’ as transgender to her employer or coworkers. After 

working for a month and a half, Michelle disclosed her transgender status to a coworker who then shared Michelle’s personal information with their supervisor. One 

day, after learning about Michelle’s transgender identity, the supervisor approached 

Michelle alone, grabbed her breast and said ‘‘I know what you are.’’ Though 

Michelle was intimidated by her supervisor, she did not leave her job. Before this 

incident, the restaurant had accommodated Michelle’s other obligations when completing the employee schedule. However, following the sexual harassment by her supervisor, the management team demanded that Michelle work full-time, or leave the 

job. Because Michelle could not work full-time, she was forced out of the job. 

Source: Conversation between Jack Harrison, Task Force Policy Analyst and 

Michelle, 2012. 

ENDA PROTECTS AMERICAN WORKERS

ENDA will help protect workers from discrimination in the workplace by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in the same 

way that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of 

race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. ENDA provides employees with the 

same meaningful remedies that are available under title VII. 

ENDA covers private employers with 15 or more employees, labor unions, employment agencies, and Federal, State, and local governments. The legislation exempts 

the Armed Forces, religious institutions, and employers with less than 15 employees. It makes it unlawful to fire, refuse to hire, or take any other action that would 

negatively impact a person’s status as an employee based on that person’s sexual 

orientation or gender identity. Additionally, it would prohibit discrimination against 

an employee as a result of the sexual orientation or gender identity of someone with 

whom the employee associates. Furthermore, ENDA would make illegal any discrimination against an individual because that person has opposed or spoken out 

about an unlawful employment practice. 

The explicit protections in Federal statute for gender identity, and sexual orientation, which will be created by ENDA are crucial, despite recent rulings from courts 

and the EEOC that transgender people, as well as lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, 

are protected by the prohibition of sex discrimination in Title VII of the Civil Rights 

Act.3
72 

2d 653, 655–56 (S.D. Tex. 2008) (holding that title VII is violated when an employer discriminates against any employee, transsexual or not, because of their gender expression); Prowel v. Wise Bus. Forms, Inc., 579 F.3d 285, 292 (3d Cir. 2009) (denying summary judgment on a sex 

discrimination claim, explaining that evidence of sexual orientation harassment ‘‘does not vitiate 

the possibility that [the plaintiff] was also harassed for his failure to conform to gender stereotypes’’); Smith v. City of Salem, 378 F.3d 566 (6th Cir. 2004) (holding that a transgender woman 

plaintiff fired from her job for expressing feminine gender characteristics at work could recover 

under title VII). 4Glenn v. Brumby, 663 F.3d 1312 (11th Cir. 2011); Macy, Appeal No. 0120120821 (EEOC Apr. 

20, 2012). 5Macy, Appeal No. 0120120821 (2012). 6 Centola v. Potter, 183 F.Supp.2d 403 (D. Mass 2002) (finding that an employer cannot discriminate against an openly gay man or a man perceived to be gay based on a failure to conform 

to sexual stereotypes of how ‘‘real’’ men behave); Heller v. Columbia Edgewater Country Club, 195 F. Supp. 2d 1212 (D. Or. 2002) (denying summary judgment on a title VII sex discrimination claim and stating that nothing in title VII suggests that Congress intended to confine the 

benefits of that statute to heterosexual employees alone); Castello v. Postmaster General, EEOC 

Appeal No. 0120111795, Agency No. 1G–701–0071–10 (Dec. 20, 2011); Veretto v. Postmaster 

General, EEOC Appeal No. 0120110873, Agency No. 4B–060–0130–10 (July 1, 2011). 7The Corporate Equality Index 2012: Rating American Workplaces on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual 

and Transgender Equality. Human Rights Campaign Foundation, 2011. Available at http:// 

sites.hrc.org/documents/CorporateEqualityIndexl2012.pdf. 

Decisions such as Glenn v. Brumby and Macy v. Holder correctly hold that 

transgender people are fully covered by the sex discrimination provisions of title 

VII.4 This is true regardless of whether the discrimination occurred because the person is gender non-conforming, has transitioned gender, or identifies as transgender.5

Other Federal cases such as Centola v. Potter and Heller v. Columbia Edgewater 

Country Club, and two non-binding decisions by the EEOC, have held that discrimination against lesbian, gay, and bisexual people also falls within the purview of sex 

discrimination laws.6

The protections created by ENDA in no way limit the protections that LGBT people have under title VII or other laws that prohibit sex discrimination. Federal 

courts and other bodies interpreting title VII should continue to apply that statute 

in a manner that recognizes that the prohibition of sex discrimination encompasses 

all types of discrimination related to a person’s gender, including discrimination because a person does not conform to narrow gender stereotypes or is lesbian, gay, 

bisexual, or transgender. However, Congress needs to pass ENDA to ensure that all 

employers are on clear notice that Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis 

of sexual orientation and gender identity. Without ENDA, employers are likely to 

be unaware of their potential liability under Federal law, and LGBT and gender 

non-conforming employees are likely unaware of their right to be free from discrimination on the job. 

MOST AMERICANS ALREADY SUPPORT ENDA

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act is also consistent with the opinions of 

the American public. According to numerous surveys, substantial majorities of likely 

voters in the U.S. support an inclusive Federal employment non-discrimination law. 

In April 2011, A Center for American Progress (CAP) poll conducted by the Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research Group of likely 2012 voters found that a striking 73 

percent support protecting gay and transgender people from workplace discrimination. Further noteworthy, this support cuts across party affiliation with 81 percent 

of Democrats, 74 percent of independents, and 66 percent of Republicans supporting 

workplace nondiscrimination laws for LGBT people. The poll also found that 50 percent of respondents who feel ‘‘generally unfavorable’’ toward gay people supported 

workplace non-discrimination protections for gay and transgender people. Voters 

and their representatives in 16 States and more than 140 localities—areas comprising nearly 44 percent of the U.S. population—have already taken action by 

adopting legislation that protects lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workers 

from discrimination. However, coverage is inconsistent across the country, varying 

from State to State, and local ordinances are often under-enforced. ENDA is needed 

to expressly and uniformly prohibit workplace discrimination throughout the United 

States. 

Businesses, too, have realized the importance of nondiscrimination policies that 

protect against discrimination based upon sexual orientation or gender identity. An 

impressive 86 percent of Fortune 500 companies have enacted non-discrimination 

policies inclusive of sexual orientation, and 50 percent have policies which include 

protection for gender identity.7 As further evidence of the majority support of diverse workplaces, the 50 largest Federal contractors and 50 biggest Fortune 500 

companies recently reported in a Williams Institute study that they have policies 
73 

8The Williams Institute: Economic Motives for Adopting LGBT-Related Workplace Policies, 

2011. 

against sexual orientation discrimination and said unequivocally that diversity is 

good for business.8 Companies such as AT&T, Bank of America, Best Buy, Boeing, 

Coca-Cola, Dell, Ford Motor, Google, IBM, Kraft Foods, Marriott International, 

Microsoft, Monsanto, Pfizer, Procter & Gamble, and Target have all adopted nondiscrimination policies that include sexual orientation and gender identity. Companies have adopted these workplace non-discrimination policies because they are motivated by the bottom line: hiring and retaining the best, most experienced person 

for the job makes good business sense; employees who do not have to fear discrimination are loyal and productive; and searching for and training replacement employees is expensive. Recently, the National Football League added a ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation to its collective bargaining agreement which was 

ratified by the league’s players on August 4, 2011. This clear stance against LGBT 

employment discrimination by American corporations demonstrates the readiness of 

the country for the comprehensive protections of ENDA. 

CONCLUSION

Employment discrimination affects all Americans, preventing them from meaningfully contributing their talents to our Nation’s workforce. Rampant discrimination 

leaves LGBT Americans with the perilous choice of either hiding their LGBT identity in the workplace or risking discriminatory treatment and harassment by disclosing their LGBT identity. 

The United States cannot afford to allow qualified people to be irrationally excluded from employment simply because of prejudice against their sexual orientation or gender identity. The competitiveness of the Nation in the world market depends on U.S. companies and government employers hiring and retaining the best 

qualified employees. 

We urge Congress to support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act as a measured response to the problem of job discrimination and the subsequent dire consequences to American families. Our data from The National Transgender Discrimination Study affirms the reality and severity of employment discrimination for 

LGBT Americans and their families. Eliminating the toll that employment discrimination takes on individuals, families, and on society is a worthwhile governmental 

and financial goal. 

Passing ENDA into law would reaffirm America’s longtime commitment to the 

values of honest hard work and fair employment, assuring all Americans that what 

truly matters in the workplace are the merits of their work, and not the people they 

love or the gender they express. 

In support of this goal, we respectfully ask that Chairman Harkin move S. 811, 

the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, to a committee vote and that the committee supports ENDA as the critical step toward securing fair workplace treatment 

for all Americans. 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF THE TRANSGENDER LAW CENTER, MASEN DAVIS, 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Mr. Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and members of the committee, we thank Chairman Harkin and the committee for holding a hearing on the Employment NonDiscrimination Act (ENDA), S. 811. On behalf of the Transgender Law Center 

(TLC), we are writing to provide you with information showing why it is crucial that 

you support this critically important legislation. 

TLC is a national non-profit, civil rights organization advocating for the rights of 

transgender and gender nonconforming people. Created in 2002 in response to the 

overwhelming discrimination that transgender people and our families face in nearly every area of life, TLC utilizes legal services, education, community organizing, 

and policy and media advocacy to overcome this discrimination and help ensure that 

every person can live safely and authentically, regardless of their gender identity 

or expression. We provide legal information and assistance to nearly 1,500 

transgender and gender non-conforming people per year. We also provide advice and 

technical assistance to private attorneys representing transgender and gender nonconforming clients nationwide. Approximately 10–15 percent of the inquiries we receive are related to employment discrimination. We have also represented 

transgender people in prominent discrimination cases, including Macy v. Holder, in 

which the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled in April of this year 

that transgender people are covered by the sex-discrimination prohibition of Title 
74 

1Macy v. Holder, EEOC Appeal No. 0120120821, Agency No. ATF–2011–00751 (Apr. 20, 

2012). 2See Macy, EEOC Appeal No. 0120120821 (2012). 3 Available at http://transgenderlawcenter.org/pdf/StateTransCAlreportl2009Print.pdf. 

VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.1 Accordingly, TLC has extensive knowledge of 

the widespread pattern of discrimination against transgender and gender non-conforming workers. 

Many times a week, we hear from a transgender or gender nonconforming person 

somewhere in the United States who has been fired, denied a job, or mistreated at 

work just because of their gender identity or expression. Despite existing protections 

under some State laws and under Federal sex discrimination laws like title VII, 

both employers and employees lack the basic knowledge that transgender people 

have legal protections from job discrimination. In the last year alone, Transgender 

Law Center assisted individuals in all types of jobs, including a transgender former 

police detective, Mia Macy, who was denied a job at the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, 

Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives after she came out as transgender 2; a 

transgender man in California who was fired a day after he inquired about whether 

his employer, a nationwide company, provided health care benefits that covered gender transition; a transgender woman who worked as a skilled maintenance worker 

for a school district and was constantly harassed by coworkers after she transitioned 

from male to female; and a transgender woman in Virginia who was let go after a 

customer made a negative comment about her gender. 

In 2008, Transgender Law Center conducted the first statewide survey in California documenting the financial, employment, health, and housing experiences of 

transgender Californians. With data from nearly 650 respondents, we worked with 

a team of social scientists to create The State of Transgender California: Results 

from the 2008 California Transgender Economic Health Survey.3 The outcomes are 

stark. The State of Transgender California confirms that transgender and gender 

non-conforming people experience overwhelming discrimination and marginalization 

in employment based on their gender identity. A copy of The State of Transgender 

California is attached, and the findings are discussed throughout this statement. 

The protection that ENDA would provide is crucial to ensuring that transgender 

and gender non-conforming employees are able to work in an environment that is 

safe, respectful and professional, regardless of gender identity. 

TRANSGENDER PEOPLE ARE WELL-QUALIFIED TO WORK IN A VARIETY OF INDUSTRIES, 

YET FACE SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC BARRIERS

The State of Transgender California reveals that transgender people who responded to the survey have remarkably high education levels. Respondents are almost twice as likely to hold a bachelor’s degree as the general California 

population. Ninety-four percent of the transgender respondents over the age of 25 

hold a high school diploma or equivalent compared to 80 percent in California generally. Overall 46 percent of transgender people hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher 

compared to 29 percent of the general California population. 

Nonetheless, transgender people are disproportionately represented below the 

poverty line. According to the most recent State census, approximately 11.7 percent 

of people 18–64 years old in California live below the national poverty level of 

$10,400 for single adult households. Yet 1 in 4 transgender people in California 

earn wages below the national poverty level. This disconcerting trend continues, even at higher education levels. The average income for all individuals with 

a Bachelor’s degree residing in California is over $50,000. The average yearly income for transgender respondents with a Bachelor’s degree is below 

$30,000—40 percent less than the average college graduate in California. 

The State of Transgender California also found that respondents who are employed work in a variety of fields and occupations. Thirty-nine percent work in the 

private sector, 28 percent work in the non-profit sector, 16 percent work in government, and 16 percent are self-employed. Yet despite high education levels and experience in a broad range of fields, less than half of respondents are currently 

employed full-time. The overall unemployment rate for transgender persons was 

twice the statewide average for the period this survey was administered. 

TRANSGENDER PEOPLE FACE A WIDESPREAD PATTERN OF DISCRIMINATION AND

HARASSMENT IN EMPLOYMENT

Discrimination and harassment based on gender identity is a reality for 

transgender and gender non-conforming workers. According to The State of 

Transgender California, two thirds of transgender Californians, or 67 percent 
75 

4See, e.g., Macy, EEOC Appeal No. 0120120821 (2012) (finding that discrimination based on 

gender identity, change of sex, and/or transgender status is cognizable under title VII; Schroer v. Billington, 577 F.Supp.2d 293 (2008) (D.C. 2008) (holding that transgender plaintiff was protected by title VII both due to sex stereotyping and because discrimination against a person who 

had changed gender was gender discrimination just as it was religious discrimination to discriminate against a person because they changed their religion); Lopez v. River Oaks Imaging 

& Diagnostic Group, Inc., 542 F. Supp. 2d 653, 655–56 (S.D. Tex. 2008) (holding that title VII 

is violated when an employer discriminates against any employee, transsexual or not, because 

of their gender expression); Prowel v. Wise Bus. Forms, Inc., 579 F.3d 285, 292 (3d Cir. 2009) 

(denying summary judgment on a sex discrimination claim, explaining that evidence of sexual 

orientation harassment ‘‘does not vitiate the possibility that [the plaintiff] was also harassed for 

his failure to conform to gender stereotypes’’); Smith v. City of Salem, 378 F.3d 566 (6th Cir. 

2004) (holding that a transgender woman plaintiff fired for her job for expressing feminine gender characteristics at work could recover under title VII). 5Glenn v. Brumby, 663 F.3d 1312 (11th Cir. 2011); Macy, Appeal No. 0120120821 (Apr. 20, 

2012). 6Macy, EEOC Appeal No. 0120120821 (2012). 7 Centola v. Potter, 183 F.Supp.2d 403 (D. Mass 2002) (finding that an employer cannot discriminate against an openly gay man or a man perceived to be gay because of or based on a 

failure to conform to sexual stereotypes of how ‘‘real’’ men behave); Heller v. Columbia 

Edgewater Country Club, 195 F. Supp. 2d 1212 (D. Or. 2002) (denying summary judgment on 

a title VII sex discrimination claim and stating that nothing in title VII suggests that Congress 

intended to confine the benefits of that statute to heterosexual employees alone); Castello v. 

Postmaster General, EEOC Appeal No. 0120111795, Agency No. 1G–701–0071–10 (Dec. 20, 

2011); Veretto v. Postmaster General, EEOC Appeal No. 0120110873, Agency No. 4B–060–0130– 

10 (July 1, 2011). 

report some form of workplace harassment or discrimination directly related to their gender identity. This harassment and discrimination ranged from 

verbal harassment to unfair scrutiny or discipline to termination of employment. Almost half of the surveyed population reports that they experienced some loss of employment either directly as a result of their gender identity or as a possible result 

of their gender identity. 

There was no difference between experiencing discrimination and type of employer. The widespread pattern of discrimination and harassment faced by 

transgender workers exists in private companies, in the non-profit sector, and in 

government. 

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST TRANSGENDER EMPLOYEES IS UNDER-REPORTED

Despite widespread employment discrimination, only 15 percent of 

transgender Californians who reported some form of discrimination or harassment went on to file a complaint. California has explicit protections against 

workplace discrimination based on gender identity, and still reporting rates are 

shockingly low. One can assume that reporting rates in the many States without 

such protections are far lower. Without explicit Federal protections, State and local 

employees are not only vulnerable to discrimination, but are also less likely to speak 

out about it or make complaints out of fear of retaliation by the employer, and because they are not assured legal recourse for such discrimination or retaliation. 

ENDA IS NECESSARY TO CLARIFY EMPLOYERS’ OBLIGATIONS UNDER FEDERAL LAW

The explicit protections in Federal statute for gender identity and sexual orientation created by ENDA are crucial, despite recent rulings from courts and the EEOC 

that transgender people, as well as lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, are protected 

by the prohibition of sex discrimination in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.4

Decisions such as that recently issued by the EEOC in the case brought by 

Transgender Law Center, Macy v. Holder, have correctly held that transgender people are fully covered by the sex discrimination provisions of title VII.5 This is true 

regardless of whether the discrimination occurred because the person is gender nonconforming, has transitioned gender, or identifies as transgender.6 Other Federal 

decisions such as Centola v. Potter and Heller v. Columbia Edgewater Country Club, and two non-binding decisions by the EEOC, have held that discrimination against 

lesbian, gay, and bisexual people also falls within the purview of sex discrimination 

laws.7

The protections created by ENDA in no way limit the protections that LGBT people have under title VII or other laws that prohibit sex discrimination. Federal 

courts and other bodies interpreting title VII should continue to apply that statute 

in a manner that recognizes that the prohibition of sex discrimination encompasses 

all types of discrimination related to a person’s gender, including discrimination because a person does not conform to narrow gender stereotypes or is lesbian, gay, 

bisexual, or transgender. The passage of ENDA is necessary, however, to make sure 
76 

that all employers are on clear notice that sexual orientation and gender identity 

are prohibited bases of discrimination. Without ENDA, employers are likely to be 

unaware of their potential liability under Federal law, and LGBT and gender nonconforming employees are likely unaware of their right to be free from discrimination on the job. 

CONCLUSION

Allowing employers to make decisions about hiring, firing, promotions, and discipline based on a worker’s identity goes against America’s core value of equal opportunity. All too often, we see transgender Americans forced out of successful careers when they express their gender identity. Many transgender people fear and 

experience discrimination and therefore must either hide who they are, to the detriment of their health; leave jobs they love in order to transition without risking 

termination; or face rampant harassment and discrimination in their current workplace. Federal protection from discrimination and harassment based on gender identity would help liberate the transgender community from this stark reality. Such 

legislation would allow transgender Americans to continue contributing to our country’s workforce without fear of being terminated simply because of who we are. 

We urge the committee to recognize this issue of basic fairness. Transgender 

Americans deserve to be ourselves in a workplace where we are judged exclusively 

on our ability to do our jobs. Work is an integral part of our lives, of who we are, 

just like our gender. No American should be denied a job just because of their gender. In support of this goal, we respectfully ask that Chairman Harkin move S. 811, 

the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, to a committee vote and that the committee supports ENDA as the critical step toward securing fair workplace treatment 

for all Americans. 

LETTERS OF SUPPORT

HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN®, 

JUNE 12, 2012. 

DEAR CHAIRMAN TOM HARKIN AND RANKING MEMBER MICHAEL ENZI: As members 

of the Business Coalition for Workplace Fairness, we represent America’s leading 

businesses that have already adopted non-discrimination policies to protect our gay, 

lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees. We firmly believe that protecting employees from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity 

is consistent with good business practice regarding treatment of employees, clients, 

stakeholders, and the general public. For this reason, we wish to express our strong 

support for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 1397 & S. 811). 

To make our workplace values clear and transparent to our employees, customers 

and investors, each of our businesses have already implemented a non-discrimination policy which is inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity. This policy 

has been accepted broadly and we believe it has positively affected our bottom-line. 

Our philosophy and practice of valuing diversity encourages full and open participation by all employees. By treating all employees with fairness and respect we have 

been able to recruit and retain the best and brightest workers, thereby bringing a 

multitude of diverse opinions and perspectives to our organizations. In 2011, 86 percent of Fortune 500 companies provided employment protections on the basis of sexual orientation, and 50 percent provided employment protections on the basis of 

gender identity. 

Federal non-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender 

workers will benefit American business. Businesses that drive away talented and 

capable employees are certain to lose their competitive edge. Excluding any one of 

our Nation’s employees from the basic right to work in a safe and welcoming environment will, in the end, impede our Nation’s ability to compete in a global marketplace. 

Thank you for this opportunity to share our views with you. 

Sincerely, 

Accenture Ltd., New York, NY; Alcoa Inc., New York, NY; American Institute of 

Architects, Washington, DC; Ameriprise Financial Inc., Minneapolis, MN; Amgen 

Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA; AMR Corp. (American Airlines), Fort Worth, TX; Bank 

of America Corp., Charlotte, NC; The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (BNY Mellon), New York, NY; Barclays, New York, NY; BASF Corp., Florham Park, NJ; 

Bausch & Lomb Inc., Rochester, NY; Best Buy Co. Inc., Richfield, MN; Bingham 

McCutchen LLP, Boston, MA; BMC Software Inc., Houston, TX; Boehringer 

Ingelheim USA Corp., Ridgefield, CT; BP America Inc., Warrenville, IL; Bristol- 
77 

Myers Squibb Co., New York, NY; Caesars Entertainment Corp., Las Vegas, NV; 

Capital One Financial Corp., McLean, VA; Charles Schwab & Co., San Francisco, 

CA; Chevron Corp., San Ramon, CA; Choice Hotels International Inc., Silver Spring, 

MD; Chubb Corp., Warren, NJ; Cisco Systems Inc., San Jose, CA; Citigroup, New 

York, NY; Clear Channel Communications Inc., San Antonio, TX; Clorox Co., Oakland, CA; The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, GA; Corning Inc., Corning, NY;, Dell Inc., 

Round Rock, TX; Deloitte LLP, New York, NY; Deutsche Bank, New York, NY; 

Diageo North America, Norwalk, CT; Dow Chemical Co., Midland, MI; Eastman 

Kodak Co., Rochester, NY; Electronic Arts Inc., Redwood City, CA; Eli Lilly & Co., 

Indianapolis, IN; EMC Corp., Hopkinton, MA; Ernst & Young LLP, New York, NY; 

Gap Inc., San Francisco, CA; General Mills Inc., Minneapolis, MN; General Motors 

Corp., Detroit, MI; GlaxoSmithKline, Philadelphia, PA; Goldman Sachs Group Inc., 

New York, NY; Google Inc., Mountain View, CA; Hanover Direct Inc., Weehawken, 

NJ; Herman Miller Inc., Zeeland, MI; Hewlett-Packard Co., Palo Alto, CA; Hospira 

Inc., Lake Forest, IL; HSBC—North America, Prospect Heights, IL; Integrity Staffing Solutions Inc. Wilmington, DE; International Business Machines Corp., Armonk, 

NY; JPMorgan Chase & Co., New York, NY; Jenner & Block LLP, Chicago, IL; Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA; KeyCorp, Cleveland, OH; Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, San Francisco, CA; KPMG LLP, New York, NY; Levi Strauss & Co., 

San Francisco, CA; Marriott International Inc., Bethesda, MD; Marsh & McLennan 

Companies Inc., New York, NY; Merck & Co. Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ; Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA; MillerCoors Brewing Co., Chicago, IL; Morgan Stanley, 

New York, NY; Motorola Inc., Schaumburg, IL; Nationwide, Columbus, OH; NCR 

Corp., Dayton, OH; The Nielsen Co., Schaumburg, IL; Nike Inc., Beaverton, OR; 

Orbitz Worldwide Inc., Chicago, IL; Oracle Corp., Redwood City, CA; Pfizer Inc., 

New York, NY; PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, New York, NY; QUALCOMM Inc., 

San Diego, CA; RBC Dain Rauscher Inc., Minneapolis, MN; Replacements, Ltd., 

Greensboro, NC; Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP, Minneapolis, MN; Ryder System Inc., Miami, FL; Sara Lee Corp., Downers Grove, IL; SUPERVALU Inc., Eden 

Prairie, MN; Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association—College Retirement Equities Fund, New York, NY; Texas Instruments Inc., Dallas, TX; Time Warner Inc., 

New York, NY; Travelers Companies Inc., St. Paul, MN; US Airways Group Inc., 

Tempe, AZ; WellPoint Inc., Indianapolis, IN; Wells Fargo & Co., San Francisco, CA; 

Whirlpool Corp., Benton Harbor, MI; Xerox Corp., Stamford, CT; Yahoo! Inc., 

Sunnyvale, CA. 

INTERFAITH ALLIANCE, 

WASHINGTON, DC 20005–4706, 

June 12, 2012. 

Hon. TOM HARKIN, Chairman, 

Hon. MICHAEL ENZI, Ranking Member, 

U.S. Senate, 

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, 

428 Senate Dirksen Office Building, 

Washington, DC 20510. 

DEAR CHAIRMAN HARKIN AND RANKING MEMBER ENZI: Thank you for holding today’s hearing on the bipartisan Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) 

(S. 811). I write to you today as the president of Interfaith Alliance to express strong 

support for this important legislation. As a national organization whose more than 

185,000 members are committed to religious freedom, championing individual 

rights, and promoting policies that protect both religion and democracy, ENDA is 

a crucial part of our work protecting faith and freedom. 

Protecting the religious freedom of all Americans is of our utmost concern. We 

also believe a vibrant democracy guarantees the protection of civil rights for everyone with no exceptions made because of an individual’s sexual orientation or gender 

identity. It is for these reasons that Interfaith Alliance is working hard to get 

passed an ENDA that is both fully inclusive and contains a religious exemption provision to protect the constitutional rights of all. 

Despite what opponents may contend, the truth is that ENDA would not create 

new or special rights, or violate the religious freedom of those whose religious beliefs 

condemn the LGBT community. Modeled after existing laws such as the Civil Rights 

Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, ENDA simply ensures that all 

Americans can enjoy the rights guaranteed to them by the Constitution. This legislation will simultaneously protect employers’ First Amendment religious freedom 

rights, while ensuring employees are treated with the respect and equality that is 

mandated by our faiths and our American values. 
78 

As our Nation continues to face daily challenges that divide the American public, 

there is an increasing need to work together on issues of mutual concern. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act ensures liberty and it ensures equality. It abides 

by the values taught by the diverse faith traditions in this great Nation; and, perhaps most importantly, it ensures justice by guaranteeing the human dignity due 

to all Americans and provided for by the Constitution of the United States of America. 

Passage of a fully inclusive ENDA with an appropriate religious exemption will 

be a victory for democracy and cause for celebration among all who value religious 

freedom. For more than a decade, Interfaith Alliance has worked to see ENDA become a reality—it’s time to get this done. 

Thank you again for devoting the committee’s time to this important issue. 

Sincerely, 

REV. DR. C. WELTON GADDY, 

President. 

THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS, 

WASHINGTON, DC 20006, 

June 11, 2012. 

Re: Cosponsor the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) 

DEAR MEMBER OF CONGRESS: The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human 

Rights and the undersigned organizations urge you to become a cosponsor of the 

Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). It is time for Congress to act on this 

crucial civil rights legislation. 

Our organizations are dedicated to the principle that every worker should be 

judged solely on his or her merits. Hardworking Americans should not be kept from 

supporting their families and making a positive contribution to the economic life of 

our Nation because of characteristics that have no bearing whatsoever on their ability to do a job. Yet it remains legal in 29 States to fire or refuse to hire someone 

simply because of his or her sexual orientation, and in 34 States it is legal to do 

so solely based on an individual’s gender identity. ENDA prohibits discrimination 

based on sexual orientation and gender identity in most workplaces. The time has 

long since come to end this injustice for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender 

Americans and pass ENDA. 

America’s corporate leaders support ENDA’s fair-minded approach. Eighty-six percent of Fortune 500 companies have included sexual orientation protections in their 

workplace policies and more than 50 percent of them also prohibit discrimination 

based on gender identity. Corporate America is leading the way in workplace fairness. 

Public support for ENDA is strong. A May 2008 poll conducted by Gallup found 

that 89 percent of Americans believe gay men and lesbians should have equal rights 

in the workplace. It is clear that Americans know that ENDA represents a measured and pragmatic response to unjust prejudice and discrimination. 

We hope you will cosponsor and support this historic legislation. Please contact 

Rob Randhava, Senior Counsel at The Leadership Conference, at (202) 466–6058 if 

you have any questions. 

Sincerely, 

A. Philip Randolph Institute; AFL-CIO; Alliance for Retired Americans; American 

Association for Affirmative Action; American Association of People with Disabilities; 

American Association of University Women; American Civil Liberties Union; American Federation of Government Employees, AFL–CIO; American Federation of State, 

County and Municipal Employees; American Federation of Teachers; American Jewish Committee; American Psychological Association; American Speech—LanguageHearing Association; Americans for Democratic Acton, Inc.; Amnesty International 

USA; Anti-Defamation League; Asian American Justice Center; Association of Flight 

Attendants—CWA; Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law; B’nai B’rith International; Catholics for Equality; Center for American Progress Action Fund; Center 

for Women Policy Studies; CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers; COLAGE: 

People with a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Queer Parent; Communications Workers of America; Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund; Disciples 

Justice Action Network; Equal Justice Society; Equality Matters; Family Equality 

Council; Freedom to Work Advocacy Fund; Friends Committee on National Legislation; Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network; GetEQUAL; Human Rights Campaign®; Immigration Equality Action Fund; International Foundation for Gender 

Education; International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Im-
79 

plement Workers of America (UAW); Japanese American Citizens League; Jewish 

Council for Public Affairs; Lambda Legal; Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights 

Under Law; The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; League of 

United Latin American Citizens; Legal Aid Society-Employment Law Center; Legal 

Momentum; Log Cabin Republicans; Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund (MALDEF); NAACP; NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, 

Inc.; National Asian Pacific American Bar Association; National Association of 

Human Rights Workers; National Association of Social Workers; National Black 

Justice Coalition; National Center for Lesbian Rights; National Center for 

Transgender Equality; National Congress of Black Women, Inc.; National Council of 

Jewish Women; National Council of La Raza; National Disability Rights Network; 

National Education Association; National Employment Law Project; National Employment Lawyers Association; National Fair Housing Alliance; National Gay and 

Lesbian Task Force Action Fund; National Stonewall Democrats; National 

Workrights Institute; OCA; People For the American Way; PFLAG National (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays); Planned Parenthood Federation 

of America; Pride At Work, AFL–CIO; SEIU; Sexuality Information and Education 

Council of the U.S. (SIECUS); Southern Poverty Law Center; Transgender Law Center; Unid@s; Union for Reform Judaism; Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations; United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries; United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America; United Food and Commercial Workers, International (UFCW); United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and 

Society; United Steelworkers; Women Employed; Women of Reform Judaism; and 

Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance. 

JUNE 12, 2012. 

Re: Religious Organizations Letter in Support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) (S. 811) 

DEAR SENATOR: On behalf of our organizations, representing a diverse group of 

faith traditions and religious beliefs, we urge you to support S. 811, the Employment 

Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). As a nation, we cannot tolerate arbitrary discrimination against millions of Americans just because of who they are. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people should be able to earn a living, provide for 

their families and contribute to our society without fear. ENDA is a measured, common sense solution that will ensure workers are judged on their merits, not sexual 

orientation or gender identity. We call on you to pass this important legislation 

without delay. 

Many of our sacred texts speak to the importance and sacred nature of work— 

an opportunity to be co-creators with God—and demand in the strongest possible 

terms the protection of all workers as a matter of justice. Our faith leaders and congregations grapple with the difficulties of lost jobs every day, particularly in these 

difficult economic times. It is indefensible that, while sharing every American’s concerns about the health of our economy, LGBT workers must also fear job security 

because of prejudice. 

At the same time, as religious denominations and faith groups, we deeply value 

our guarantee to the freedoms of faith and conscience under the First Amendment. 

ENDA broadly exempts from its scope any religious organization, thereby ensuring 

that religious institutions will not be compelled to violate the religious precepts on 

which they are founded, whether or not we may agree with those precepts. In so 

doing, ENDA respects the protections for religious institutions afforded by the First 

Amendment and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 while ensuring that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are protected from baseless discrimination in the workplace. 

We urge Congress to swiftly pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act 

(S. 811) and ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans have an 

equal opportunity to earn a living and provide for themselves and their families. 

Sincerely, 

African American Ministers in Action; Alliance of Baptists; American Conference 

of Cantors; American Friends Service Committee; American Jewish Committee; 

Anti-Defamation League; B’nai B’rith International; Brethren Mennonite Council for 

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Interests; Central Conference of American 

Rabbis; DignityUSA; Disciples Justice Action Network (Disciples of Christ); The 

Episcopal Church; Fortunate Families; Friends Committee on National Legislation; 

GLAD Alliance (Disciples of Christ); Hindu American Foundation; Interfaith Alliance; Jewish Council for Public Affairs; Jewish Women International; Metropolitan 

Community Churches; Muslims for Progressive Values; National Black Justice Coa-
80 

lition; National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A; National Council of 

Jewish Women; Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness; Progressive 

Christians Uniting; Progressive Jewish Alliance; Rabbinical Assembly; Sisters of 

Mercy of the Americas; Institute Justice Team; Union for Reform Judaism; Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations; United Church of Christ, Justice 

and Witness Ministries; United Church of Christ, Office for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual 

and Transgender Ministries; United Church of Christ, Wider Church Ministries; 

United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society; United Synagogue 

of Conservative Judaism; Women of Reform Judaism. 

RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS OF SENATOR CASEY BY KYLAR W. BROADUS

Question 1. Mr. Broadus, thank you for your testimony. Beyond the difficult challenges you experienced while still in the workplace, you have spoken eloquently 

about the psychological impact of unemployment. As a transgender individual who 

was driven out of your job by discriminatory practices, can you please speak further 

to the unique challenges you faced in the hunt for a new job? 

Answer 1. Senator Casey thanks for your question. After building a career in the 

financial services industry for almost 8 years, I had to start looking in fields or 

areas that I hadn’t considered. I was desperate to find anything! Prior to transition, 

I had been good at job hunting. After transition, job hunting was an extreme challenge because people judged me not on my qualifications but on their perceived bias 

against transgender people. In many cases, I couldn’t even get my foot in the door. 

I was turned away from most jobs that I was qualified or even overqualified to do. 

I wouldn’t get the interview because my records didn’t match my name or gender 

marker after my transition. Or, I would get the interview but once they saw me or 

learned that I was transgender there would be no opening or I wasn’t the right candidate for the job. I had no success in finding full-time employment but was able 

to obtain part-time employment. 

I was so afraid during this time that I would never find a job again or have any 

kind of career again. It was pure survival. It was economically as well as emotionally traumatic to go through this period of unemployment. Even when I did begin 

employment, it wasn’t near the level that I had been employed but provided insurance benefits and a steady paycheck. I still suffer from the vestiges of unemployment from that time period. I have never economically recovered and have just 

started to make yearly what I made at the corporation I worked for over 15 years 

ago before being pushed out. My student loan debt has quadrupled during this time 

and I have and continue to struggle to survive. As an out transgender American, 

my employment options are still extremely limited because I am judged for being 

transgender and not on the basis of my qualifications. 

RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS OF SENATOR CASEY BY KENNETH CHARLES

Question 1. Mr. Charles, I was impressed to hear of the forward-thinking and inclusive human resources policies employed by General Mills. In your opinion, what 

obstacles exist currently for other companies to implement similar non-discrimination policies? 

Answer 1. Senator Casey, thank you for that question. It appears that the greatest obstacle is a lack of commitment to providing equal protection. It’s important 

to appreciate that companies that would be affected by ENDA passage routinely 

meet a number of Federal Government requirements to provide equal protection. 

ENDA execution would be incremental to those efforts. Employers would need to expand the training they are currently providing their employees and effectively communicate the new requirements and expectations. Our experience has been that it 

is easy to accomplish if you’re committed to doing it. There are numerous resources, 

many at no cost, that can help an organization navigate the change. 

RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS OF SENATOR FRANKEN BY CRAIG L. PARSHALL

MEMORANDUM 

To: Senator Al Franken, c/o Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 

Pensions 

From: Craig Parshall, Sr., V.P. & General Counsel, National Religious Broadcasters 

(NRB) 

Date: July 24, 2012 

Re: Hearing on S. 811, June 12, 2012, ‘‘Equality at Work—the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)’’ 
81 

1The sole exception is alleged sex discrimination in choosing or firing pastors, priests, rabbis, 

and other heads of religious organizations under the ‘‘ministerial exception.’’ Hosanna-Tabor 

Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission et 

al.,lU.S.l, 132 S. Ct. 694, 710 (2012). 

Following my testimony on June 12, 2012, before the Senate ‘‘HELP’’ Committee 

regarding the above, Senator Al Franken submitted a written question to me, for 

the record. I appreciate Senator Franken’s interest in my testimony, and I will attempt to address his question in this Memorandum. As Senator Franken’s question 

actually consists of several queries, I have divided them into their logical components and will address each of them. 

Question 1. In your testimony, you assert that the religious exemption in ENDA 

will require that courts will be forced to determine whether sexual orientation and 

gender identity claims are more like claims of sex discrimination or religious discrimination. This seems to ignore the fact that the legislative language of ENDA 

states that the ‘‘Act shall not apply to [entities] exempt from the religious discrimination provisions of title VII,’’ which means that if an entity cannot be sued for religious discrimination under title VII, it cannot be sued for sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination under ENDA. 

Answer 1. In my testimony I pointed out that currently, title VII law, as uniformly interpreted by the courts, does not exempt religious employers from discrimination based on ‘‘sex.’’ This is so, regardless of the religious exemption in title VII, 

which enables those employers to apply religious criteria regarding the ‘‘religion’’ of 

the employee, as courts have ruled that: ‘‘Title VII ‘does not’ confer upon religious 

organizations the right to make those same decisions on the basis of . . . sex . . .’’ 

Id., citing Rayburn v. Gen’l Conf. of Seventh Day Adventists, 772 F.2d 1164, 1166 

(4th Cir. 1985).1

Recent court decisions have also expanded the reach of the meaning of discrimination based on ‘‘sex’’ to include adverse employment decisions based on the ‘‘genderidentity’’ of the employee. Smith v. City of Salem, OH, 378 F.3d 566 (6th Cir. 2004); 

Schwenk v. Hartford, 204 F.3d 1187 (9th Cir. 2000); Rosa v. Park W. Bank & Trust 

Co., 214 F.3d 213, 215–16 (1st Cir. 2000); Glenn v. Brumby, 663 F.3d 1312 (11th 

Cir. 2011). Further, on April 20, 2012, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) rendered its decision in Macy v. Holder, Appeal No. 0120120821, officially recognizing ‘‘gender identity’’ discrimination claims by ‘‘transgender’’ individuals to qualify as ‘‘sex’’ discrimination under title VII. Added to these kinds of 

claims that can supersede the religious exemption of title VII are also claims based 

on sexual orientation. See: Prowel v. Wise Business Forms, Inc., 579 F.3d 285, 291 

(3d Cir. 2009): ‘‘Wise [the employer] cannot persuasively argue that because Prowel 

is homosexual, he is precluded from bringing a gender stereotyping claim’’ (the court 

submitting the claim of a homosexual for employment discrimination to a jury trial 

under existing title VII law based on ‘‘sex’’ discrimination). 

Thus, if ENDA intends to fully incorporate the existing religious exemption under 

title VII, courts will invariably have to grapple with the fact that the language chosen appears to create an inherent Catch–22: religious employers are presumably exempted under ENDA from employee claims based on sexual orientation and gender 

identity, by utilizing the very religious exemption scheme under title VII, which has 

in essence been held not to provide protection for religious employers against sexual 

orientation and gender identity claims under existing law. 

The only way for a future court to extricate itself from this dilemma is to recognize that ENDA’s religious exemption creates a statutory ambiguity (if not an anomaly), forcing the court to attempt to harmonize conflicting precedent and perhaps to 

decipher congressional intent, a journey that invariably involves imprecise, and 

sometimes damaging forms of judicial creativity. 

The supporters of ENDA counter, as you have, Senator, by suggesting that 

ENDA’s religious exemption is ‘‘much broader’’ than that in title VII. This leads to 

your next point below, and my response. 

Question 2. In fact, the ENDA religious exemption is much broader than the exemption granted under title VII, in which courts have historically conducted an inquiry that examines the religious nature of the institution, and whether their mission and teachings conflict with the requirements of the law. Even if one were to 

accept your reading of the religious exemption, can you explain why the court’s inquiry into whether an entity were exempt from ENDA would be so different from 

the inquiries that they’ve been making for decades in enforcing title VII? 

Answer 2. In my testimony, I indicated that title VII contains two basic components, both of which must be met in order for a religious organization to qualify for 
82 

exemption: (1) The first has to do with the religious structure of the employer as 

a ‘‘religious corporation . . .’’, etc. (2) The second has to do with the employer’s objections to the religion of the employee and the employer’s decision to make an adverse employment decision based on that factor. I testified that, in my opinion, 

ENDA’s religious exemption, by incorporating title VII’s religious exemption, has incorporated both (1) and (2), thus creating, at a minimum, a lack of critical clarity, 

if not dangerous ambiguity when applied to sexual orientation and gender identity 

claims. 

In the same hearing, Samuel Bagenstos, Professor of Law, University of Michigan 

Law School, called as a witness in support of ENDA, indicated his agreement with 

my analysis of the two elements necessary for any religious organization to obtain 

an exemption under title VII. However, Professor Bagenstos went on to disagree 

with my statement that ENDA’s religious exemption incorporates both elements (1) 

and (2) of title VII; he concluded, to the contrary, that ENDA’s religious exemption 

only incorporates factor (1) relating to the religious identity of the employer. However, the sole basis for such an argument is an inference that this result is commanded by a fair reading of the language of ENDA’s section 6, which states that 

the Act would not apply to a religious ‘‘corporation . . .’’, etc. ‘‘that is exempt from 

the religious discrimination provisions of title VII . . .’’ . But what are the ‘‘religious 

discrimination provisions of title VII? ’’ They are both elements (1) and (2), as outlined in my testimony. 

You have asked, Senator Franken, why I believe the court inquiries into section 

6 of ENDA would be ‘‘so different’’ from past judicial analysis of the religious exemption of title VII. The answer to that, first, is that courts would be faced with the 

Catch–22 that I mentioned above, deciding whether just factor (1) or both (1) and 

(2) are included in ENDA. Second, the courts would be faced with the fact that prior 

decisions (several of which are listed in this Memorandum) have already expanded 

the natural and reasonable reading of title VII’s prohibition against discrimination 

because of ‘‘sex’’ to now include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and 

gender identity—categories that, as a form of ‘‘sex’’ discrimination, the courts have 

uniformly ruled can be protected through legal claims which trump the religious exemption language of title VII in all cases except for adverse employment actions involving a pastor, priest, rabbi or other similar religious leadership position. 

Last, title VII’s religious exemption language is itself fraught with interpretative 

problems. Unfortunately, Congress ‘‘did not define what constitutes a religious organization—‘a religious corporation, association, educational institution, or society’ ’’ 

under title VII. Spencer v. World Vision, Inc., 570 F. Supp. 2d 1279, 1283 (W.D. 

Wash. 2008). As a result, ‘‘courts conduct a factual inquiry and weigh ‘[a]ll significant religious and secular characteristics . . .’ ’’ Id. (citations omitted). This has led 

to numerous decisions depriving religious employers of fundamental liberties: EEOC v. Townley Eng’g & Mfg. Co., 859 F. 2d 610 (9th Cir. 1988) (no exemption for a 

small, closely held manufacturing shop whose owner had a clearly Christian world 

view and wanted it to permeate the work place); Fike v. United Methodist Children’s 

Home of Virginia, Inc., 547 F. Supp. 286 (E.D. Va. 1982) (A Methodist orphan’s 

home dedicated to instilling in orphaned children Christian beliefs was held not to 

be qualified as a ‘‘religious corporation . . .’’, etc. when it sought to return to its 

original spiritual mission following a temporary period of more secular leadership); 

EEOC v. Kamehameha School/Bishop Estate, 990 F.2d 458 (9th Cir. 1993), cert. denied, 114 S. Ct. 439 (1993) (private Protestant religious school was denied title VII 

religious exemption even though it had numerous religious characteristics and activities); Pime v. Loyola University of Chicago, 585 F. Supp. 435 (N.D. Ill. 1984) 

(Catholic college held not to be entitled to religious exemption relating to its preference for Jesuit professors over a Jewish professor), reversed on other grounds at 

803 F.2d 351 (7th Cir. 1986) (where Judge Posner noted in his concurrence that, 

regarding the religious exemption issue, ‘‘the statute itself does not answer it’’ and 

‘‘the legislative history . . . is inconclusive’’ Id. at 357). 

This sad parade of bad decisions has been reinforced recently by the EEOC, which 

filed its own action last month in Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. 

Voss Electric Company, d/b/a Voss Lighting, U.S. District Court for the Northern 

District of Oklahoma, Case No. 12–CV–330–JHP–FHM. In the complaint, page 2, 

paragraph 6. B., the EEOC alleges that ‘‘Voss Lighting generally considers itself and 

its employees to be Christian.’’ Press reports indicate that the company was founded 

by a Christian man who wanted to incorporate faith-based principles in his workplace, and currently the Web site of the company spells out that Christian mission 

explicitly. However, because the company discussed religious subjects with a prospective employee during an employment interview, and the person was ultimately 

not hired, the EEOC is suing this company and asking the court for a permanent 

injunction against the company, enjoining it from carrying out its religious mission, 
83 

and also asking the court to assess punitive damages against the company, a remedy that could well devastate its ability to continue. 

In summary, the lack of precision in title VII’s own religious exemption language, 

the decisions by courts, and the EEOC elevating sexual orientation and gender identity rights and at the same time lowering the protection afforded to religious employers under title VII, together with the interpretative dilemma created by ENDA’s 

section 6, which I have outlined above, all lead me to believe that ENDA would not 

offer adequate or constitutional protection for religious employers. 

[Whereupon, at 11:35 a.m., the hearing was adjourned.] 

Æ