Map Shows States Suing Biden Admin Over Trans Worker Laws
Republican states filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education over protections for transgender students in federally funded schools.The EEOC's policies require employers to use a transgender employee's preferred pronouns and allow access to bathrooms corresponding to their gender identity, but the states have argued that this exceeded the Commission's authority and misinterpreted federal law.They argue that the new rules unlawfully compel employers to recognize transgender workers' preferred pronouns and allow them to use restrooms and wear clothing that aligns with their gender identities.The lawsuit asserts that while federal law protects transgender employees from being fired for their gender identity, it does not mandate employers to accommodate them in the ways outlined by the EEOC.The states contend that these federal guidelines impose undue burdens on businesses and exceed the scope intended by Congress when it comes to anti-discrimination protections under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, regarding discrimination based on sex.They also argue that the EEOC's actions represent a significant shift in federal policy without proper legislative backing and could subject employers to unjust legal challenges.The guidance is said to impose significant new obligations on employers, potentially subjecting them to lawsuits if they fail to comply with these expanded interpretations of discrimination laws.Skrmetti argued that the EEOC guidelines infringed on areas that should be legislated by Congress, not regulated through administrative action."When, as here, a federal agency engages in government over the people instead of government by the people, it undermines the legitimacy of our laws and alienates Americans from our legal system," he said in a press release.
