Raleigh became the sixth city in the state to protect transgender workers from employment discrimination Tuesday afternoon.
In a unanimous vote, members of the City Council revised the City of Raleigh’s non-discrimination policy language to include non-discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression, in addition to sexual orientation.
The move came after a report from the City’s Human Relations Commission last month recommended expanding the non-discrimination policy to protect various groups from discrimination, including on the basis of actual or perceived age, mental or physical disability, religion, familial or marital status, economic status and veteran status.
Raleigh joins Asheville, Boone, Carrboro, Charlotte, Chapel Hill and Buncombe in protecting workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Durham, Mecklenburg and Orange Counties have similar protections for their workers.
Chris Sgro, director of LGBT advocacy group Equality North Carolina, said the vote was “a victory today in our capital city for Transgender workers.”
“When we protect gay and transgender people within the workplace, they can live better lives outside of it,” Sgro said.
