Continuation of post last week introducing various HR issues being addressed in Washington DC and providing more information on each topic.

Congress likely will pass and the new President will support a national prohibition on employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. Many states already prohibit such job bias, but Congress seems poised to add sexual orientation to the national list of protected classes, along with race, color, age (40 or over), sex, pregnancy, gender, religion, disability, national origin, ethnic background, genetic status, military service and citizenship. The new Administration also seems to support Congressional efforts to strengthen the federal laws prohibiting pay disparities based on gender.