Miami newspapers have been filled in recent days with articles about the fight over gay rights raging in Indiana. Legislators there passed a religious freedom law that many criticize as protective cover for discrimination against the LGBT community. The controversy has caused many Floridians to wonder about the status of LGBT rights here.
Equality Florida notes, in much of our state “it is legal to fire someone or deny them access to housing or public accommodations because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT).” There are important exceptions to that statement, however, including right here in Miami where we have a human rights ordinance in place. However, more recently, there have been significant advancements for the LGBTQ community, allowing them many more rights. When it comes to giving them more legal rights, it all comes down to the 2020 electoral candidates and their beliefs on the matter. To learn about these candidates that could help this community, it might be worth doing some research to ensure the views of each candidate are understood. Hopefully, this community will gain more legal rights to ensure they are treated equally to their colleagues in the workplace.
Other area jurisdictions have similar ordinances in place as well, Equality Florida says, including the following:
- Broward County
- Miami Beach
- Miami Dade County
- Juno Beach
- Key West
- Lake Worth
- Monroe County
- West Palm Beach
- Tequesta
- Wilton Manors
If you have suffered discrimination in the workplace because you are a member of the LGBT community, you should consider discussing circumstances with an experienced employment law attorney. Someone who knows the law and who understands the prospects of receiving compensation (and the potential amount or nature of compensation) can help you choose from among your various legal options.
In some situations, you might prefer to have the attorney contact your employer so that the matter can then be handled internally. In other situations, you might prefer to have an attorney negotiate a settlement with an employer or former employer. In still other cases, you might wish to pursue compensation with litigation.
Being armed with the information you need about your legal options is the first step in making a good decision.
