Constructing an Inclusive LGBTQ+ Work Environment — It’s the Law

Caroline Melo recently co-authored an article for Construction Executive discussing the landmark Supreme Court decision holding that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), one of the most important federal civil-rights statutes, bars discrimination against employees based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

For years, many LGBTQ+ individuals confronted a dilemma in the workplace, especially those who worked in historically heterosexual male-dominated environments: express the individual’s true self to co-workers and risk harassment, ridicule and—in some cases—even job loss, or conceal certain aspects of the individual’s personal life and essence in an effort to enjoy a safe working environment and remain employed. At the root of this dilemma was the lack of judicial clarity with respect to whether Title VII, the federal employment law that prohibits sex discrimination in the workplace, extended protection to LGBTQ+ employees. Finally, employers and employees have an answer to this question.

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