By letter dated March 5, 2014, to Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez, several Democratic members of Congress promoted the need for improvements in the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals in the Labor Department’s programs and activities. The Members of Congress assert:
[T]here is more that the Department (of Labor) can do to alleviate the high rates of unemployment and discrimination faced by LGBT workers around the country. The Department has tools at its disposal to address these barriers impacting the ability of LGBT people to thrive in the American economy.
These congressional representatives specifically stated they “would like to know more about what the Department is doing for LGBT workers generally” and in certain program areas, including the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs’ (OFCCP’s) enforcement of existing Executive Orders and how LGBT people can be better covered as OFCCP’s implementation of the 2012 ruling of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in Macy v. Holder, wherein the Commission held “gender identity is a protected category under existing federal civil rights protections covering sex.” Moreover, the representatives seek information regarding the Employment and Training Administration’s “inclusion of, and guidance on, LGBT and gender non-conforming youth” in Job Corps programs and One Stop Center programs as well as Veterans Employment Training Services’ inclusion of LGBt veterans in its programs and policies. The Members of Congress note:
Due in large part to systemic discrimination in education, housing, and employment, LGBT people are at increased risk for poverty throughout the lifetime. Employment protections are a vital step towards ending this discrimination and increasing economic opportunity and stability for LGBT workers and their families.
The Congress Members concluded by stating, “[W]are aware of the need for better inclusion of LGBT individuals . . . and we are eager to hear from you on where these changes stand.”