ED 2019-9 signed to strengthen non-discrimination protections for state employees
FERNDALE, Mich. – Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) welcomed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to his district today as she signed Executive Directive 2019-9 to prohibit discrimination in state employment and state services based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
“Michigan lags behind the rest of the country in protecting our LGBT community from discrimination. While many gay and trans people in other states have held onto the hope that equality will continue to progress, Michigan residents have questioned whether our state would start progressing at all,” Moss said. “Today is an encouraging step forward.’”
Whitmer signed the directive at Affirmations, an LGBT community resource center in Ferndale, which would:
- Clarify that employment protections cover all state employees, including classified and unclassified employees;
- Require all recipients of state contracts, grants and loans to extend protections to their employees;
- Prohibit discrimination in state services;
- Extend prohibitions on discrimination to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression — which will now be consistent with the action taken by the Michigan Civil Rights Commission in May 2017.
“On day seven of her administration, Gov. Whitmer is showing how serious she is as a steadfast ally of Michigan’s LGBT community by strengthening non-discrimination protections for state employees,” Moss said. “Today’s executive directive is not only a moral document; it is a tool to ensure Michigan remains competitive in recruiting talent to invest, live and thrive here.”
Moss, the first openly gay candidate elected to the State Senate, acknowledged that beyond this directive, the Legislature still has work to do to ensure full equality for the entire LGBT community.
“No Michigander should be fired or denied housing due to who they love or who they are. We must amend the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to protect all Michiganders who face discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity,” he said. “I’m ready to push this work forward in the State Senate.”
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