In July of 2014, President Obama signed an executive order requiring federal contractors to assign “protected categories” within their private companies, to prevent discrimination against individuals based upon Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity.
Last week, the Department of Labor passed their “Final Rule” on the executive order, EO 13672, meaning the requirements will take effect within 120 days.
The new requirements affect half a million private companies in the United States that represent 42% of the civilian workforce according to the Family Research Council (FRC).
FRC, along with many other conservative and pro-business organizations are protesting the executive action by President Obama as they say it creates a $50 million compliance burden on these private companies.
Additionally, the regulations are imposed when no proof of widespread discrimination have been provided by the government.
Given the LGBTQ community represents only, at best, 3.8% of the population, the rules that will impact 42% of the civilian workforce seem unnecessary.
Obama’s executive order also provides no religious exemption for employers who must now hire and employ everyone from cross dressers to transgender employees in conflict with their religious beliefs.
The new rules also create significant issues with what used to be simple solutions to restrooms and dressing rooms. Rather than separating facilities based upon biological gender, private employers will now have to come up with creative ways to accommodate basic facilities by dividing them along individual sexual preferences.
