The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently updated federal workplace guidelines for the first time in 25 years. The revised guidelines, released on Monday, aim to safeguard the rights of transgender employees, including protection against misgendering and the right to use facilities corresponding to their gender identity. Non-compliance with these guidelines may constitute unlawful workplace harassment. While the updated guidelines reflect the EEOC's commitment to enforcing anti-bias laws, they are not legally binding.
These updated guidelines cover various protected characteristics, such as color, race, religion, and sex. Gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy are included within the category of sex discrimination. The guidelines also address abortion, considering discrimination against employees based on their decision to have one as a form of sex discrimination.
EEOC Chair Charlotte A. Burrows highlighted the prevalence of harassment in American workplaces and emphasized the updated guidance as a comprehensive resource for preventing and addressing harassment. The guidance incorporates feedback from stakeholders nationwide and aligns with the EEOC's Strategic Enforcement Plan to ensure individuals understand their workplace rights and responsibilities.
However, the expanded guidance has faced criticism from conservatives and religious groups. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), Chairwoman of the Education and the Workforce Committee, criticized the EEOC for what she perceives as detachment from reality. Foxx expressed concerns about the mandated use of pronouns and the denial of biological facts, suggesting that the EEOC is prioritizing appeasement of leftist activists over common-sense policymaking to protect workers.