Florida Agenda

P H I L A D E L P H I A , PENNSYLVANIA – Saying that the Republican presidential nominee is “out of step” with “public opinion,” the LGBT civil rights organization Equality Forum is calling for Mitt Romney to support federal legislation to protect LGBT Americans from workplace discrimination.

In a statement this week, the Philadelphia-based advocacy group noted that although in “2007, Republican Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan voted in favor of the unsuccessful attempt to amend the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act [ENDA] to include sexual orientation and gender identity,” Romney himself “has taken no position on including [these] in ENDA.”

“With Gov. Romney’s support, amending ENDA to include sexual orientation and gender identity would be a slam dunk,” said Malcolm Lazin, Equality Forum’s executive director. “His equivocation on amending ENDA makes Gov. Romney out of step with the Fortune 500 and public opinion.” Lazin noted that while both President Obama and the GOP’s own vice presidential candidate support amending ENDA to include sexual orientation and gender identity, the Republican platform takes no position on it. He added that recent polls show over 75 percent of Americans supporting the inclusion of sexual orientation in federal ENDA, including a majority of Democrats, Republicans, Independents, seniors, Catholics and small business owners.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a bipartisan move, the U.S. Senate reintroduced of an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would create federal protections against workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

“In today’s economy, job security is important to all Americans, especially LGBT people who can be fired for no other reason than their sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Human Rights Campaign (HRC) President Joe Solmonese. “Passing ENDA is a key element of making sure all Americans can get back to work and get our country moving again.”

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act would address discrimination in the workplace by making it illegal to fire, refuse to hire or refuse to promote an employee based on the person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Such protections currently exist in 21 states and D.C. for sexual orientation and 12 states and DC for gender identity.

Among Fortune 500 companies, 87 percent have sexual orientation non-discrimination policies and 46 percent have gender identity non-discrimination policies.  Additionally, more than 85 companies have joined the Business Coalition for Workplace Fairness, a group of leading U.S. employers that support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

Michael Verdugo lost his court appeal in the Broward County Circuit Court on Tuesday. Verdugo was the former openly- gay Hollywood police officer who charged that he was unfairly dismissed from his position with the police department because he was homosexual. According to his attorney, George Castrataro, the court concluded that the “threshold to show bias in arbitration was not met.”

Castrataro stated that they will no longer fight the case. “The very purpose behind the fight was to bring to the public attention the burden and impact against gays and lesbians in the workplace,” said Castrataro. “But without changes in the law, there is no point in going on.

Hopefully in time we will see something like ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) pass in Congress and the State House.

Photo: Mikey Verdugo

By BOB KECSKEMETY

Former openly-gay Hollywood Police officer Michael “Mikey” Verdugo (who charged that he was unfairly terminated by the City of Hollywood), along with his pro bono attorney, George Castrataro, Esq., and a team of community leaders, will hold an important rally to keep attention focused on Mr. Verdugo’s discrimination case and further explain why support for passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is so important.

The rally will be held on Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at noon, prior to the City Commission’s Meeting at 1:00 p.m. at the City of Hollywood City Hall, 2600 Hollywood Blvd., in Hollywood. The rally comes in the wake of the August 12 hearing in Tampa when The State of Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission unanimously upheld a negotiated Settlement Agreement in the Verdugo discrimination case and allowed Mr. Verdugo to retain his State certification as a law enforcement officer.

“It was an important victory and first step in vindicating Mikey, but there’s a long way yet to go,” Castrataro stated. Castrataro’s argument had prevailed that the City of Hollywood’s intervention into the previously negotiated settlement was inappropriate and improper.

The rally precedes a Court Hearing scheduled on November 30, 2010 relevant to Mr. Verdugo’s ongoing discrimination case against the City of Hollywood. Mr. Verdugo is still fighting to be reinstated in his job. “

In Florida, employment and advancement are still hindered by prejudice. Too many people, both straight and gay, do not realize that it’s still possible to fire someone without cause!” Mr. Castrataro said. “Mikey’s fight illustrates the need to pass the ENDA without further delay.

His plight serves as a powerful reminder that discrimination is real and must end. Passage of the bill would have far-reaching effects.” Castrataro has long been active in working with the Broward County Commission on local human rights issues.