Lambda Legal's Day of Awareness for Workplace Equality Draws Thousands

(New York, May 19, 2008) — Lambda Legal announces that over 5,000 people signed a pledge to take specific actions to help increase workplace fairness for LGBT people and those with HIV as part of its annual Clock In for Equality — a campaign to raise awareness about workplace discrimination against LGBT people and people with HIV.

"Inequality remains a reality for far too many LGBT and HIV positive employees," said Kevin Cathcart Executive Director of Lambda Legal. "Workplace discrimination continues to be the most common complaint brought to our Legal Help Desk. Clock in for Equality is an important way for people and communities to come together and work for fairness."

5150 people signed a pledge to take specific actions to help increase workplace fairness for LGBT people and those with HIV.

In 2007, individuals seeking workplace fairness generated nearly 1,000 Help Desk calls to Lambda Legal, the highest volume in any category. Lambda Legal takes some of these cases as part of its high impact legal work, and provides information to all callers. No federal law exists that expressly forbids discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Of the 20 states that have anti-discrimination laws including sexual orientation, only 14 of those also prohibit discrimination based on gender identity (including Hawaii's protections for housing and public accommodations but not employment).

"The Michigan Supreme Court recently ruled that public employers must discontinue providing health care benefits to unmarried couples who have relied on these benefits for years. Now more then ever the community needs to stand up and speak out against workplace discrimination," said Bashar Makhay, Community Organizing Coordinator at Affirmations, an LGBT community center in Detroit.

Clock In For Equality grabbed headlines in Oklahoma when Rep. Sally Kern said in a media interview, "Over and over again the homosexuals say we don't have an agenda. This just shows there is an agenda." In an Associated Press article, Hector Vargas, Lambda Legal's Deputy Director of Education and Public Affairs responded, '"Most Americans think that people should be judged on the quality of their work, not on anything else. I don't think that's a radical position."

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Erin Baer 212-809-8585 ext 267; Email: ebaer@lambdalegal.org