Governor Pat McCrory of North Carolina last week signed a minor amendment to the state’s controversial transgender “bathroom bill” to restore an employee’s ability to sue his or her employer in state court for discrimination under North Carolina’s Equal Employment Practices Act (EEPA). The amendment was approved by the state legislature earlier this month.
North Carolina received significant media coverage and public backlash in response to enactment of a new law mandating that transgender people, when using a public bathroom, had to use the bathroom associated with their “biological” sex. The so-called “bathroom law” was widely perceived as discriminatory against LGBT individuals. Among other things, the new law also eliminated an employee’s ability to bring a discrimination lawsuit against his or her employer under North Carolina’s EEPA. The amendment signed by Governor McCrory last week restores that right.
A copy of the amendment is available here.
Members of the Equal Employment Advisory Council (EEAC) can read more here.