There are many laws in place that protect an employee’s rights in Maryland. If an employer is in violation of these laws, he or she can be held accountable if a lawsuit is filed. This is true whether an employer directly contributed to a situation or if he or she failed to take appropriate action to address the situation.
For example, if certain employees are being harassed or discriminated against on the job, it is the employer’s responsibility to take steps to protect them. This prevents workers from being unfairly treated because of their race, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion or disability. Recently, a bill was sent to Gov. Martin O’Malley which would also protect people from discrimination based on their gender identity in Maryland.
Once the law goes into effect, transgender people will be added to the list of people who are protected from being discriminated on the job. This means that they cannot be wrongfully denied employment or promotions, fired or mistreated on the job because of their gender identity.
Employees who are victims of abuse or harassment on the job will be able to report such conduct and will expect that employers will take the appropriate steps to address the situation. Maryland will be 18th state to have protections in place for transgender residents.
This legislation has been the subject for much debate, but ultimately it comes down to making sure people are treated fairly on the job. Whether a person identifies as a male or female should not be a reason to abuse, harass or discriminate against them. When the law goes into effect, it will be critical for employers to make sure the rights of these employees are protected.
Source: ThinkProgress, “Maryland House Passes Transgender Nondiscrimination Protections,” Zack Ford