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Resources help employers enact nondiscrimination act

In May of 2007, the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA) was signed into law by Governor Bill Ritter, expanding protection against workplace discrimination for all Coloradans. ENDA increases Colorado’s employment nondiscrimination protections to include sexual orientation – an important step toward ending all discrimination in the workplace. The Interfaith Alliance of Colorado supported this legislation and worked for its passage. Gov. Ritter announced he would sign the legislation into law during a keynote address to The Interfaith Alliance’s National Leadership Gathering in Broomfield last May.

ENDA makes it unlawful to consider sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression when making employment-related decisions, or to make any inquiry about an applicant’s sexual orientation or gender expression. This new law defines sexual orientation as a person’s orientation toward heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, or transgender status.

To date, 20 states and the District of Columbia have policies prohibiting both sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in employment, and 13 of those include transgender protections.

The first key step in achieving ENDA compliance is for companies to add the term “sexual orientation” into their nondiscrimination policies so that all employees are aware of the organization’s adherence to the law. To help expand understanding of the law and assist companies in achieving compliance, the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado and its partners and grantees are providing companies with resources that offer step-by-step guidance for achieving a discrimination-free workplace. These resources are available for download at www.gayandlesbianfund.ord/enda, www.colorado.gov and www.aclu.org/enda/.