Workplace Equality

 The White House has announced that President Obama will sign an executive order restricting all federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.  A White House official explained that the order would, “build upon existing protections, which generally prohibit federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.”  The executive order does not address, however, federal law that allows employers fire employees if they are, or even suspected to be, gay.  A measure that would address this is a bill that the House has yet to pass – the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).  The House, however, is unlikely to pass ENDA because as Boehner explains, “People are already protected in the workplace.”  Here is what leaders have to say: