According to a story in yesterday’s Bay Area Reporter, the Office of Special Counsel has officially abandoned the discriminatory position that federal employees cannot seek redress for discrimination based on sexual orientation under federal civil service law. As you may recall, in 2004, Bush-appointed Special Counsel Scott Bloch abandoned the 25-year-old, bipartisan interpretation that a provision of the law that bars job decisions based on conduct unrelated to job performance protects against sexual orientation discrimination in the federal workforce. Despite widespread criticism by LGBT groups, including HRC, and Congress, as well as repudiation by the White House, Bloch never abandoned his argument during his years as Special Counsel.
Bloch left the position last fall during an ongoing investigation of his conduct, after federal officers raided his office. President Obama has not yet named a successor, but we are pleased that the interim leadership at OSC has officially abandoned his attempt to upend decades of protection for LGB federal workers.
Thanks to HRC Chief Legislative Counsel Brian Moulton for this post.
The Human Rights Campaign's perspective on the news, issues and events affecting the every day lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people across the country.
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