The Employee Free Choice Act

LGBT advocates have not been outspoken on The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), a piece of legislation that would compliment the Employment Non Discrimination Act in providing protections for all workers and much needed ones for LGBT employees.

The Employee Free Choice Act would make it easier for employees to unite and form coalitions and unions to fight unfair labor practices, and to advocate for living wages, health benefits, and job security.

How will this legislation help the LGBT community:

• Increased union representation will lead to a higher standard of living for all Americans especially people who make significantly less income (transgender people and queer people of color).

• There are no federal protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation/gender identity but often unions as a collective will have such a policy in place to help remedy the situation.

• EFCA will help LGBT people bargain for more benefits including, inclusive language for LGBT families in the Family Medical Leave Act, offering domestic partner health benefits, removing transgender health exclusions, passing of pension benefits to same-sex spouse or their children.

Take action, and learn more at Shared Agenda.

FedEx Invokes Defense of Marriage Act to Deny Benefits

FedEx a mega logistics and delivery company has actively resisted providing benefits to gay families, even in states where gay people can marry. In a letter to a legally married employee in Massachusetts, FedEx actually invokes the Defense of Marriage Act to justify why it won’t provide benefits to its LGBT employees’ families in Massachusetts! FedEx’s tortured legal argument goes something like this:

"We have a federally regulated health insurance plan and since the federal government defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman we are free to ignore your marriage in the provision of employee benefits." (HRC Backstory)

Use their customer service form to issue a complaint.

Best Places to Work for GLBT People 2009

The Human Rights Campaign has created a list of the top businesses that support equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees. Findings are based on the 2009 Corporate Equality Index, the annual report that rates corporate America's treatment of LGBT employees, 260 businesses received top ratings.

Click here for the industry headings. Each business name links to a more detailed profile of their policies and practices