When individuals go to work each day, they want to be judged on their professionalism, their experience, their performance, and their ability to get the job done. By working hard, meeting their responsibilities and playing by the rules, they strive for a fair chance to achieve a piece of the American Dream.

Through our nondiscrimination policy program at the Federation, we’re working to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workers from unfair discrimination. As a part of this work, we partnered with the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) and several of our members (Equality Ohio, Equality Pennsylvania, PROMO, and Equality Utah) to release four research briefs detailing the critical need for nondiscrimination protections in these states.

According to recent research done by MAP, hardworking individuals in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Utah (plus 25 other states) who are LGBT can still be unfairly fired from their jobs simply because of who they are.

In Ohio, research has found that, of the 319,000 LGBT adults living in the state:

• Only 20% are protected by local nondiscrimination ordinances;
• and 80% can be unfairly fired just because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Of the 270,000 LGBT adults living in Pennsylvania:

• Only 32% are protected by local nondiscrimination ordinances;
• and 68% can be unfairly fired just because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

In Missouri, of the 152,000 LGBT adults living in the state:

• Only 27% are protected by local nondiscrimination ordinances;
• and 73% can be unfairly fired just because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

And in Utah, of the 53,000 LGBT adults living in the state:

• Only 51% are protected by local nondiscrimination ordinances;
• and 49% can be unfairly fired just because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The lack of legal protections for LGBT workers, combined with the unequal treatment they receive in areas from wages to hiring to family benefits, is not just a problem for LGBT workers; it also harms their co-workers, their employers and their state’s economy, even as these groups tend to support LGBT protections.

• 79% of Ohioans, 70% of Ohio small businesses, and 80 of Ohio’s 98 largest employers support updating Ohio’s nondiscrimination laws.
• 72% of Pennsylvanians, 69% of Pennsylvania small businesses, and 65% of the state’s Fortune 500 companies support updating Pennsylvania’s nondiscrimination laws.
• 71% of Missouri small businesses support updating Missouri’s nondiscrimination laws to protect LGBT workers, and 350 Missouri-based companies have voiced their support for workplace protections.
• 60% of Utahns and 69% of Utah small businesses support state laws protecting LGBT workers from employment discrimination.

These critical protections for LGBT workers are long overdue. But fortunately, in all four states, advocates, businesses, faith leaders and fair-minded community members are coming together to advance nondiscrimination laws to protect all hardworking individuals. At the Federation, we’re proud to partner with Equality Ohio, Equality Pennsylvania, PROMO, and Equality Utah to advance this vital legislation.

To read more about the need for nondiscrimination laws in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Utah, click here.