WASHINGTON –Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, congratulated Charlotte Burrows and P. David Lopez on their confirmations to important posts with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) by the U.S. Senate.

“Charlotte Burrows and David Lopez have proven that they have the temperament, experience, and judgment to serve on behalf of America’s work force, and understand the need for LGBT Americans to be protected from discrimination in their workplaces,” said David Stacy, HRC’s Government Affairs Director. “We congratulate both Charlotte Burrows and David Lopez on their confirmation by the U.S. Senate and look forward to working with them in ensuring all Americans are protected from workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”

The EEOC is the nation’s law enforcement agency for protecting workers against discrimination.  The agency’s mandate is vitally important.  The EEOC not only files suits against employers on behalf of alleged victims of discrimination, but also mediates thousands of discrimination suits each year.  In 2012, the EEOC determined in Macy v. Holder that discrimination on the basis of gender identity is per se sex discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This decision provides transgender people an opportunity to bring claims against employers who have discriminated against them based on the employee’s transgender status rather than the employee’s qualifications.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. HRC envisions a world where LGBT people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

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