Did your employer fire you for a same-sex marriage?

On Behalf of | Feb 27, 2021 | Sexual Orientation/Transgender Rights |

Your job was going fine until your employer found out you were married to someone of the same sex. Perhaps you finally took the necessary steps to add your spouse to your workplace insurance policy. Maybe they came in to visit you for lunch one day.

Once your boss found out that you were in a same-sex marriage, their attitude toward you changed. They may have quickly found a reason to let you go or may have terminated you without even giving an explanation.

When you think that your sexual orientation factored into your termination from your job, you may be able to bring a discrimination claim against your employer.

Your sexual orientation should not influence your rights on the job

Kentucky state laws do not specifically protect LGBT individuals from discrimination by employers. However, court rulings have established nationwide protections for both gender identity and sexual orientation.

You don’t need a state law protecting you because federal standards currently do. A company that openly discriminates against workers because of their sexual orientation or gender identity violates those workers’ basic rights and federal employment standards.

Documenting your experiences carefully can help prove your case

Many discrimination cases become one person’s word against another’s. Having detailed records of conversations with co-workers, awkward jokes at your expense and other indicators of a discriminatory workplace can help you demonstrate a hostile environment that culminated in your termination.

Even just writing down the details or making a video describing the interaction during your termination, especially if your boss referenced your marriage or sexual orientation, could help you validate your version of events later. The more evidence you have, the stronger your case for claiming sexual-orientation-based discrimination on the job.

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