Gay Marriage : Redrafting the Employee Handbook

Apr 28, 2015

With the change to same sex marriage, employers may need to revisit their workplace policies and procedures to make sure that they are in compliance with current state of the law. Employers need to look at their policies where they offer benefits to spouses such as Family Medical Leave Act, benefits, health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, things like that where a spouse is receiving a benefit from the company. Those same benefits need to be offered to spouses of same sex marriages. Additionally, employers should look to their equal employment opportunity statement and make sure that it includes sexual orientation and gender identity.

While these causes of action are not necessarily protected under federal or state laws right now, we anticipate that they will be in the future and there is municipality ordinances that prohibit this type of discrimination. Employers need to have a mechanism in place for employees to complain about things that they believe to be discrimination, whether it’s based on sexual orientation, gender identity or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. That way, if an employee feels that he or she is being discriminated against, then the employer can look to investigate potential claim and take corrective action.

About Greenspoon Marder

Greenspoon Marder LLP is a full-service law firm with over 225 attorneys and more than 20 office locations across the United States. With operations from Miami to New York and from Denver to Los Angeles, our firm attracts some of the nation’s top talent in key markets and innovation hubs. Our core practice areas include Real Estate, Litigation, and Transactional Services, complemented by the capabilities of a full-service firm. Greenspoon Marder has maintained a spot on The American Lawyer’s Am Law 200 as one of the top law firms in the U.S. since 2015, and our goal is to provide exceptional client service by developing a thorough understanding of each client’s business needs and objectives in order to provide strategic, cost-effective solutions.

MEDIA CONTACT

Natalie Villanueva, Director of Marketing
954.333.4308 | [email protected]

This Greenspoon Marder LLP Client Alert is issued for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed or used as general legal advice nor a solicitation of any type. Please contact the author(s) or your Greenspoon Marder LLP contact if you have any questions regarding the currency of this information. The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision. Before you decide, ask for written information about the lawyer’s legal qualifications and experience.

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Gay Marriage : Redrafting the Employee Handbook

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