We thought we won but then we didn't

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http://equalitync.org/news1/20080414

Equality North Carolina Celebrates New Discrimination Protections for State Employees
4/14/2008 - Equality North Carolina announced today a significant victory in its campaign to end legal discrimination in our state. The 2008 edition of the State Personnel Manual, which covers most state employees, now includes a prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.


"This is a big step forward for equal rights and justice in North Carolina," said Ian Palmquist, Executive Director. "Now state employees will be afforded the same protections that so many of our state's private companies offer their employees."

"North Carolinians value fairness and are opposed to the state or any other employer denying the basic right to work free from discrimination."

Equality North Carolina lobbied the State Personnel Commission and the Governor's office on behalf of the policy. The effort grew out of the group's work to pass legislation addressing this issue in the 2007 legislative session.

When the commission first considered the issue last summer, their proposed language covered only sexual orientation. Equality NC was successful in advocating for the policy to be expanded to ensure that gender identity or expression were covered before final adoption.


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http://citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080415/NEWS/80414082

RALEIGH – State officials Monday removed a ban on anti-gay discrimination from an online copy of the state's personnel handbook.

North Carolina does not ban discrimination based on sexual orientation in hiring, discipline and pay of state employees. The State Personnel Commission's attempt to change that was rejected in January by the state Rules Review Commission as overstepping the other appointed board's authority.

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But the rule change showed up all the same in one of two copies of the handbook on the Office of State Personnel's Web site. The other had the correct version.

“Somehow it mistakenly got put on the Web site," personnel office spokeswoman Margaret Jordan said.

House Republican Leader Paul Stam last week criticized the proposed rule, similar to measures that have failed in the legislature, and questioned why it appeared in the handbook.

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Sadly we had a very temporary victory. To be honest it was an immense victory to come close. But it apparently wasn't quite close enough. Full disclosure while I am a quasi state employee, I wouldn't have been covered in any case. I am disappointed though.