EEOC rules Title VII bans sexual orientation discrimination

Blog Post
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently issued a 3-2 ruling, finding that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 forbids sexual orientation discrimination on the job.

The ruling is significant because several federal courts have ruled otherwise and held that sexual orientation discrimination is not covered by Title VII. The EEOC reasoned that many of the court decisions on the issue are dated and undermined by court rulings, holding that gender stereotyping does constitute sex discrimination.

EEOC rulings are not binding on courts, so it remains to be seen whether the EEOC’s decision will be adopted by federal courts. Nevertheless, the EEOC will likely investigate these types of claims. Therefore, to the extent they have not already done do, it makes sense for employers to consider updating their policies to include sexual orientation as a prohibited form of discrimination.

Related Services

Jump to Page

McDonald Hopkins uses cookies on our website to enhance user experience and analyze website traffic. Third parties may also use cookies in connection with our website for social media, advertising and analytics and other purposes. By continuing to browse our website, you agree to our use of cookies as detailed in our updated Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use.