The Law Relating to Sexual Orientation Is Evolving and Somewhat

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The Answer is Policies and decisions in the sexual orientation and gender identity areas are rapidly evolving.The patchwork of state,federal,local,public,and private laws and policies present an employer with the challenge of trying to do what is required for each jurisdiction,when,in fact,the requirements may be quite different.However,conclusions can be drawn about creating policy in the midst of such seeming chaos.In order to provide the maximum protection from liability for sexual orientation-related issues,an employer can do several things:
Use only relevant,work-related criteria for hiring.
Keep inquiries about applicants' personal lives at a minimum,and make sure the information is relevant.
Have a policy ensuring respect for all employees in the workplace,and make all employees aware of the policy and what it means.
The respect policy should protect everyone from things like unsolicited negative statements about immutable and other characteristics such as race,religion,gender,and affinity orientation.
Take prompt action whenever there are complaints of violations of the policy.
Be aware of the potential impact on gays and lesbians of workplace policies regarding issues like bereavement leave,benefits,bringing significant others to office functions,accepting personal calls during work hours,and displaying personal items at work (photos,cards,political buttons,and so forth).
Ensure that policies inclusive of gays and lesbians are fair and evenly handled.

The Law Relating to Sexual Orientation Is Evolving and Somewhat

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