N.B.A. player Jason Collins broke ground recently when he became the first male athlete on a major American sports team to come out as gay. While the situation indicates a greater acceptance of LGBT individuals than in the past, many people face workplace gender and sexual orientation discrimination every day.
As the New York Times noted, for these individuals, “being open about their sexual orientation could put their job and career at risk.”
For over 75 years, the American Civil Liberties Union has included lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in its fight for civil liberties. Laws are currently in place that protect the rights of LGBT individuals. These include employment laws.
Filing Discrimination Claims
In New York State, the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act was passed in 2003. If you feel you have been discriminated against in the state because of your sexual orientation, the New York Attorney General’s website specifies that you must file your case through one of two routes:
- New York State Division of Human Rights or a local human rights agency, within one year of the most recent act of discrimination; or
- A complaint directly in state court within three years of the most recent act of discrimination.
The Attorney General’s Office also points out that victims of discrimination based on sexual orientation “may be awarded, among other things, compensatory damages for pain and suffering and the monetary value of any lost wages or benefits.” Additionally, “the discriminator may be ordered to take certain affirmative steps, including hiring, reinstating, or promoting an employee,”
If you have been discriminated against in the workplace because of sexual orientation, you need a New York workplace discrimination attorney on your side, helping you get the compensation you deserve. Contact the Ginarte law firm for a free consultation about your case.
Sources:
Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman