Seyfarth Synopsis: On March 30, 2017, the California Fair Employment and Housing Council ("FEHC") considered proposed regulations on transgender employees. The FEHC also discussed draft regulations on national origin discrimination in the workplace.
Transgender Identity. On March 30, 2017, the FEHC, convened in Sacramento for its second meeting of the year, voted unanimously to adopt proposed regulations on transgender identity and expression, which will go to the Office of Administrative Law for approval. We expect a final text in July. The FEHC first proposed these amended regulations in 2016, which we covered here.
Some highlights: the amended proposed regs would
- prohibit employers from requiring applicants to disclose their sex, gender, gender identity or expression,
- protect transitioning employees by expanding the definitions of gender identity and expression,
- ensure that employees are addressed by their preferred name, gender, and pronoun, and
- require employers to provide equal access to comparable, safe, and adequate bathrooms, locker rooms, and similar facilities.
Employers can familiarize themselves with the approved regulations now to anticipate questions that may arise in this context.
The FEHC heard public comment over a perceived conflict in bathroom signage required by the proposed regulations and pre-existing Cal-OSHA regulations. The proposed FEHC regulations, consistent with recently enacted legislation (discussed here), require that single-user bathrooms have gender-neutral signage. But the Cal-OSHA regulation, which predates both the FEHC regs and the recent legislation, calls for single-user bathrooms to be for a single gender. The conflict is one of perception only, as the Department of Industrial Relations has clarified that Cal-OSHA will not enforce its rule, and instead will follow the gender-neutral requirement found in the statute (and the proposed FEHC regs). We expect that other agencies may adopt the DIR's approach, favoring transgender protections over conflicting pre-existing regulations.
Kevin Kish, Director of the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, confirmed the DFEH would consult with the Labor and Workforce Development Agency and Cal-OSHA to ensure consistency in the implementation and enforcement of the regulations.
National Origin Discrimination. The FEHC has also drafted proposed regulations regarding national origin discrimination in the workplace, following recommendations by Legal Aid at Work. The proposed regulations are still in their early stages; as yet, there has been no formal notice of the proposed regulations or a public hearing.
The proposed regulations largely track the EEOC's new guidance on national origin, which we summarized in our Employment Law Lookout blog here. The draft FEHC regulations address these issues:
- Defining national origin to include place of birth or ancestor's place of birth, association or perceived association with a person of a national origin group or ethnicity, Native American Tribe, language, and accent.
- Harassment and retaliation against undocumented workers.
- Discrimination based on immigration status, accent, or English proficiency.
- Workplace language restrictions.
Public comments have addressed the proposed provisions that would curb employer inquiry into an individual's immigration status. The proposed regulations would permit such an inquiry only where clear and convincing evidence shows the inquiry is needed to comply with federal law. Based on further comment by Legal Aid at Work, we anticipate that further modifications may provide guidance on workplace language policies.
What's Next? We expect to see more activity from the FEHC in the months ahead. The FEHC will likely revise its proposed regulations on national original discrimination before it issues formal notice of proposed action of the regulation. The FEHC also plans to expand its outreach efforts, seeking further comment from the public and civil rights groups to shape the FEHC's future agenda. We will continue to monitor and report further developments.
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