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Local Government Resolution
<br />• Whereas, a diverse and inclusive community that respects and enhances the potential of all its members is
<br />crucially important to City Council's mission of making Charlottesville an excellent place to work, live,
<br />and visit; and
<br />Whereas, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are vital members of our community including
<br />police officers, teachers, and doctors; and
<br />Whereas, in the increasingly competitive and diverse workforce and economy, recruiting and retaining the
<br />best public employees, requires Charlottesville to be as attractive an opportunity as possible; and
<br />Whereas, private businesses have already recognized the competitive advantage afforded by offering
<br />progressive employment practices regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees, and
<br />leaders in their industry such as IBM have had such policies for more than a decade; and
<br />Whereas, 94 percent of Fortune 500 companies have non-discrimination policies protecting employees on
<br />the basis of sexual orientation and 125 include gender identity; and
<br />Whereas, in an increasingly competitive housing market, buyers are choosing to move to communities
<br />that are accepting of all its members; and
<br />Whereas, there is no federal law protecting Charlottesville's gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender
<br />employees from such workplace discrimination; and
<br />• Whereas, there is currently no state law in Virginia prohibiting discrimination against employees of state
<br />or local government, including employees of Virginia's public colleges and universities, based on race,
<br />color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital
<br />status, disability, sexual orientation, or status as a special disabled veteran or other veteran covered by the
<br />Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974, as amended; and
<br />Whereas, all employees of the Commonwealth or its political subdivisions or agencies deserve statutory
<br />protection against employment discrimination based on any of the above non -merit based factors; and
<br />Whereas, recent survey research by the Equality Virginia Education Fund shows that more than 90% of
<br />Virginians support the right of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens to work for the government
<br />without discrimination, and according to Gallup's May 10-13, 2007, Values and Beliefs Poll, 89% of U.S.
<br />citizens believe that gays and lesbians should have workplace discrimination protection;
<br />Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED that the Charlottesville City Council calls upon the Virginia General
<br />Assembly to pass legislation codifying the basic human right of all public employees to be free from
<br />discrimination in the workplace based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth
<br />or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, status as a special disabled veteran or other
<br />veteran covered by the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974, as amended and sexual
<br />orientation, including gender identity.
<br />Approved by Council
<br />September 8, 2009
<br />• J
<br />ClWof City Council
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