Obama grants workplace protections to LGBT workers of federal contractors

WASHINGTON – Federal workers and contractors who are gay and transgender are getting new protections from President Barack Obama who is signing executive orders that will prohibit employment discrimination against those workers by the federal government and its contracting agencies.
“America’s federal contracts should not subsidize discrimination against the American people,” Obama said at a signing ceremony from the White House East Room. 

This makes it illegal for companies hiring federal workers to consider sexual orientation or gender identity when making hiring / firing decisions. Religious organizations continue to complain and ask for exemption. Obama did not grant that, though those companies can still hire/fire based on religious identity (something I found really curious, actually.)
I thought this was an interesting piece of news this morning and thought I’d share. 

-Kai