LGBTQ community members in Pennsylvania enjoy the same rights to enjoy their lives as anyone else at home or in the workplace. Federal and local laws also protect LGBTQ workers from employment discrimination based on their sexual preference or gender identity. Some Pennsylvania municipalities received special recognition for laws and policies enacted to protect LGBTQ workers.
Municipal efforts
The 2020 Municipality Equality Index released by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation measures city effectiveness at protecting LGBTQ employee rights. The borough of Carlisle, located in Cumberland County, received special recognition for its efforts.
The borough passed an ordinance in 2016 preventing discrimination against LGBTQ individuals in its community. No specific list of incidents led to the new regulations. Local politicians felt it was something needed to protect members of their community. One council member expressed that no resident should experience workplace discrimination based on who and how they love.
City officials in Carlisle were the first to pass anti-discrimination laws against members of the LGBTQ community in the state. But they were not the last. Shippensburg and Camp Hill Borough passed similar measures not long after.
The member said that bigotry and intolerance were not the only factors fueling the discrimination faced by LGBTQ community members. He explained there is also a general lack of understanding for these matters from other community members.
Carlisle decided to take action that would educate all of its citizens. The result is a borough that scored 86 out of a possible 100 points by the HRCF for LGBTQ inclusion. The borough accomplished this feat by concentrating on enforcing anti-discrimination laws, providing health benefits that demonstrated transgender-inclusiveness, and protecting the most vulnerable LGBTQ members.
Other municipalities receiving a score of 85 or higher from the HRCF include:
- New Hope
- Allentown
- Pittsburgh
- Philadelphia
- Reading
- Wilkes-Barre
- State College
Members of the LGBTQ community enjoy the same rights in the workplace that protect all employees in America. Individuals facing workplace discrimination because of their gender identification or sexuality may benefit from contacting an employment attorney.
