Legal case offers lessons for employers on transgender rights 
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has achieved a legal victory in its campaign to support transgender workers. Minnesota-based Deluxe Financial Services, has issued an apology and agreed to pay $115,000 to settle discrimination claims brought by a transgender employee. Employment lawyers say the settlement highlights the importance of including gender identity in non-discrimination policies and not deliberately referring to a transgender person by his or her original name. The case also indicates that transgender employees should be granted access to the restroom commensurate with their gender identity and that employers should agree to change names and gender designations in company records.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission notched a victory in its litigation push on behalf of transgender workers on Jan. 20, when a Minnesota-based company issued an apology and agreed to pay $115,000 to settle discrimination claims brought by a transgender employee. Employment lawyers say the settlement offers lessons for employers across the country, including the importance of including gender identity in nondiscrimination policies and not deliberately referring to a transgender person by his or her original name.

Deluxe Financial Services Inc., a national check cashing company, agreed to the settlement with employee Britney Austin and the EEOC, who intervened in Austin’s lawsuit. Austin alleged that Deluxe violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by subjecting her to name-calling, refusing to change her name on company records and denying her access to the women’s restroom. Deluxe did not admit to the violation, but it issued an apology to Austin, changed its human resources policies and agreed to pay her $115,000.