New contract: Boca agrees not to discriminate against gays, lesbians
But Palm Beach County Human Rights Council president says they will press on with his concerns
The Boca Raton City Council Tuesday approved a contract with Palm Beach County
with a provision that says the city will not discriminate against
people on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity or
gender expression.
The contract was approved without discussion after a month of controversy about the city's equal opportunity policy.
The language, however, is not what you would expect in a 51-page contract that will pay Boca Raton about $235,000 a year to participate in a countywide system of removing hazardous waste.
The contract was approved without discussion after a month of controversy about the city's equal opportunity policy.
The language, however, is not what you would expect in a 51-page contract that will pay Boca Raton about $235,000 a year to participate in a countywide system of removing hazardous waste.
Boca
stopped short of fully adopting the county's policy. But this decision
provided the understanding to smooth over the differences between the
county's equal opportunity policy and the city's, which does not cover
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or
gender expression.
Later, Vice Mayor Susan Haynie complained that she was getting e-mail based on misinformation about the city's opting out of the county's more inclusive equal opportunity provision.
"We did not take away anyone's rights," Haynie said, contending that the city follows state and federal guidelines against discrimination. "We are not discriminatory."
This compromise language in the contract won't be enough to stop the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council questioning why the city in January 2011 formally opted out of the county's equal opportunity provision, said Rand Hoch, president of the council.
Approving the contract with the statement — and letting stand its internal policy that doesn't include gays, lesbians and transgender employees — leaves those groups without any recourse if they feel they've been discriminated against, Hoch said. The contract also says that the provision doesn't allow city employees to press for domestic partnership benefits
"They'll take the money
[for the hazardous waste removal] but they won't do anything about
discrimination" against gays, lesbians or transgender employees, Hoch
said. "Until they change their minds, we at the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council are going to mark Boca Raton as a city run by bigots."
ageggis@tribune.com or 561-243-6624
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-10-24/news/fl-boca-opt-out-20121023_1_equal-opportunity-sexual-orientation-transgender-employees
Later, Vice Mayor Susan Haynie complained that she was getting e-mail based on misinformation about the city's opting out of the county's more inclusive equal opportunity provision.
"We did not take away anyone's rights," Haynie said, contending that the city follows state and federal guidelines against discrimination. "We are not discriminatory."
This compromise language in the contract won't be enough to stop the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council questioning why the city in January 2011 formally opted out of the county's equal opportunity provision, said Rand Hoch, president of the council.
Approving the contract with the statement — and letting stand its internal policy that doesn't include gays, lesbians and transgender employees — leaves those groups without any recourse if they feel they've been discriminated against, Hoch said. The contract also says that the provision doesn't allow city employees to press for domestic partnership benefits
"They'll take the money
[for the hazardous waste removal] but they won't do anything about
discrimination" against gays, lesbians or transgender employees, Hoch
said. "Until they change their minds, we at the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council are going to mark Boca Raton as a city run by bigots."ageggis@tribune.com or 561-243-6624
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-10-24/news/fl-boca-opt-out-20121023_1_equal-opportunity-sexual-orientation-transgender-employees
If the bigots in Boca really were not discriminating against LGBT employees, they would include sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression in the City's nondiscrimination policies. They have refused to do so -- despite numerous requests from PBCHRC.
ReplyDeleteThey also would rescind the ordinance opting-out of the County's Equal Employment Ordinance if the Boca Bigots were serious. But they won't even respond to PBCHRC's request for them to do so.