SJC GLBT Employee Rights Progress

St. Johns County government will soon change employment policies to respect "sexual orientation" as a protected class under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

An outside employment law firm is reviewing the matter with county staff -- EEOC and federal courts have ruled that the term "sex" in civil rights laws includes "sexual orientation."

Three cheers for our county for finally getting it right.

In 2008, the County twice sought a county charter, which voters rejected twice; twice I urged it be amended to include "sexual orientation" in the protected classes in Section 10.06 (Nondiscrimination).

Twice our County Commissioners ignored my request for simple justice.  Twice I joined with others in defeating their discriminatory charter.