Employment | Discrimination | Vermont

Yes.  Vermont was among the first states to pass a comprehensive statewide law prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination in 1992 (See, e.g., 21 V.S.A. § 495 (employment)). “Sexual orientation” is defined as “female or male homosexuality, heterosexuality or bisexuality (1 V.S.A. § 143).

In May, 2007, Vermont became the third state in New England to explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity (Public Act 41, An Act Relating to Prohibiting Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity, 2007-2008 Leg., Reg. Sess. (Vt. 2007)). The law defines gender identity as “an individual’s actual or perceived gender identity, or gender-related characteristics intrinsically related to an individual’s gender or gender-identity, regardless of the individual’s assigned sex at birth” (1 V.S.A § 144).

As to sexual orientation, maybe.  Although the anti-discrimination laws themselves do not distinguish between actual and perceived sexual orientation, the questionnaire used by the Civil Rights Unit of the Attorney General’s Office allows people to complain of discrimination on account of both sexual orientation and perceived sexual orientation.  However, the Human Rights Commission does not make this distinction in its employment complaint form.  There is no case law on this.  (Note:  The school harassment law, which is discussed below in the Students’ Rights section, does explicitly provide protection for students and their family members who are or are perceived of as gay, lesbian or bisexual.  The hate crime law, discussed below, also applies to actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity.)

As to gender identity, and as noted above, gender identity is defined as wither “actual or perceived gender identity.” This language includes discrimination based upon perception.

The non-discrimination law prohibits any employer, employment agency or labor organization from discriminating against any individual because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity (21 V.S.A. § 495 (a)(1)). This applies to both private and government employers and covers most significant job actions, such as hiring, firing, failure to promote, demotion, excessive discipline, harassment and different treatment of the employee and similarly situated co-workers (21 V.S.A. § 495 (a); § 495d(1) (definition of employer)).

In addition, employment agencies may not participate in discrimination by refusing to classify or refer their customers for employment or otherwise discriminate because of sexual orientation or gender identity.  Unions may not deny union membership or otherwise discriminate against its members because of sexual orientation or gender identity (21 V.S.A. § 495 (a)(4)).

The law also forbids these entities from advertising in such a way as to restrict employment or membership because of sexual orientation or gender identity (21 V.S.A. § 495 (a)(2)).

No. As broad as the law is, there are exceptions to its application.

• An employer, agency or labor organization may defend against a discrimination claim by arguing that a “bona fide occupational qualification” of the particular job to have a non-LGBT employee fill it (21 V.S.A. § 495(a)). There are no general occupational exemptions from the reach of the non-discrimination law, however, and this defense is very rarely successful.
• As to sexual orientation and gender identity, religious organizations – and charitable or educational organizations operated, supervised or controlled by a religious organization – are exempt from the law to the extent that they give a “preference to persons of the same religion or denomination” or take “any action with respect to matters of which is calculated by the organization to promote the religious principles for which it is established or maintained (21 V.S.A. § 495(e)). This exemption, however, is not a carte blanche for an employer to use his or her religious beliefs as a justification for discriminating against persons because of their sexual orientation or actual or perceived gender identity.

Yes. Sexual harassment is specifically prohibited under the law. Vermont law defines sexual harassment as a form of sex discrimination that means unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

• submission to that conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment; or
• submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a component of the basis for employment decisions affecting that individual; or
• the conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment (21 V.S.A. § 495d (13)).

Because sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination, a claim of harassment can be pursued in the same ways as other discrimination claims, as discussed below.

In addition to prohibiting sexual harassment, Vermont law requires all employers, employment agencies and labor organizations to ensure a workplace free of sexual harassment by adopting a policy against sexual harassment, posting a notice outlining that policy, and providing all employees an individual written copy of the policy (21 V.S.A. § 495h).

It is as unlawful to sexually harass a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender person as it is to harass anyone else. Some harassment is specifically anti-gay and may be more fairly characterized as harassment on the basis of sexual orientation. Other harassment is because of the person’s actual or perceived gender identity and may be characterized as harassment on the basis of gender identity.  Still other harassment is sexual in nature and more appropriately categorized as sexual harassment.  All these types of harassment can happen to the same person, and all are forbidden under Vermont state law.

Both the United States Supreme Court and several state courts have found same-sex sexual harassment to violate sexual harassment laws (compare Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, 523 U.S. 75, 118 S.Ct. 998 (1998) (man can sue for sexual harassment by other men under federal sexual harassment laws)).

Where you file a complaint depends on the type of discrimination you have experienced (i.e. employment, housing, credit, etc.) and whether the party you are complaining against is a state agency. Sometimes you have more that one option about where to file.

State Employment (as well as Public Accommodations or Housing):

• 如果您认为您在就业方面受到了州政府机构的歧视，或者您认为您在公共场所（例如，零售店或其他企业拒绝提供服务）或住房方面受到了歧视，您可以向以下机构提出投诉：

佛蒙特州人权委员会
鲍德温街14-16号
蒙彼利埃，佛蒙特州 05633-6301
(800) 416-2010
(802) 828-1625
(802) 828-2481（传真）
human.rights@vermont.gov

投诉可以亲自、书面、通过传真或电子邮件宣誓提出，陈述有关涉嫌歧视的事实。

• 您也可以直接向涉嫌歧视发生地所在县的高等法院提起诉讼。

General Employment:

If you believe you have been discriminated against by a party other than the state (for example, a private business or a town), you may file a complaint under oath with the:

民权部门
佛蒙特州总检察长办公室
州街109号
蒙彼利埃，佛蒙特州 05609-1001
(888) 745-9195（仅限佛蒙特州免费）
(802) 828-3657
(802) 828-3665（文本电话）
(802) 828-2154（传真）
ago.civilrights@vermont.gov

投诉方必须填写一份调查问卷，民权部门会将其发送给您，您也可以在 www.ago.vermont.gov/assets/files/Employment%20Discrimination%20Complaint%20Form.pdf.

• 您也可以直接向涉嫌歧视发生地所在县的高等法院提起诉讼。

不一定。所有这些机构的流程都旨在让人们代表自己。但是，GLAD 强烈建议人们在整个诉讼过程中，以及选择直接向高等法院提起诉讼时，聘请律师代表自己。不仅有许多法律规则管辖这些流程，而且员工和其他被告很可能有法律代表。

向佛蒙特州人权委员会提交的歧视投诉必须在最后一起歧视行为发生后一年内提交（佛蒙特州法典第80-250-001条，第二条）。总检察长民权部门也规定投诉必须在一年内提交。如果您打算直接向高等法院提起诉讼，则应在最后一起歧视行为发生后三年内提交，但在某些情况下，您也可以在此之后提交。逾期提交投诉的情况很少，格拉德斯·阿德莱德鼓励人们尽快提交索赔。

是的。州反就业歧视法禁止因性取向和性别认同，以及种族、肤色、宗教、国籍、性别、血统、出生地、年龄、残疾、HIV相关血液检测、探亲假和工伤赔偿而对任何人采取任何行动。在公共场所，标准已扩大到包括婚姻状况，但不包括年龄、血统和出生地。在住房方面，标准已扩大到包括计划与一名或多名未成年子女同住并接受公共援助，但不包括血统和出生地。

如果您向人权委员会提交投诉，委员会工作人员将审查您的投诉，以确定其是否符合提起歧视索赔的基本要求。如果他们决定进行调查，您的投诉副本将发送给被投诉方（即被告），被告必须在十四 (14) 天内对指控作出回应（佛蒙特州法规 80-250-001，规则 10）。然后，委员会将指派一名调查员，调查您的索赔，以确定是否有合理理由相信您受到了歧视。在调查过程中，调查员可能会检查和复制记录和文件，并采访所有相关方和证人。然后，由州长任命的五名专员决定是否有合理理由采纳您的指控（9 VSA §§ 4551(a) 和 4554(d) – (e)）。

如果您向民权部门 (CRU) 提出投诉，流程非常相似，并在 CRU 的网站上进行了详细描述： www.ago.vermont.gov/divisions/civil-rights/employment-law/civil-rights-unitprocess.php.

人权委员会和CRU均允许当事人在调查过程中的任何阶段进行自愿和解谈判，以解决案件。如果这些努力失败，人权委员会或CRU将在调查结束时发布调查结果，说明是否存在违法行为。

如果有合理理由， 除非委员会认定情况紧急，否则委员会将把案件送交“调解”或和解程序。如果谈判未能在六个月内达成各方均可接受的和解，委员会将向高等法院对被告提起诉讼，或驳回诉讼，除非各方同意延期以完成正在进行的谈判（《佛蒙特州公平分配法》第9卷第4554(e)节；《佛蒙特州法典》第80-250-001条，第31-32条）。

同样，如果CRU发现存在违法行为，被告将被要求进行和解谈判，以尝试解决案件。如果谈判失败，CRU可向高等法院对被告提起诉讼（www.ago.vermont.gov/divisions/civil-rights/employment-law/civil-rights-unitprocess.php).

如果没有发现非法歧视的合理理由，该案件将被委员会驳回（9 VSA § 4554(d)）。如果CRU发现不存在违法行为，则该案件将被结案（www.ago.vermont.gov/divisions/civil-rights/employment-law/civil-rights-unitprocess.php).

此时，或在委员会或投诉审查小组 (CRU) 流程的任何阶段，您都可以决定向法院提起诉讼。务必牢记上述提起诉讼的截止日期。如果您在委员会调查期间提起诉讼，委员会将以行政方式驳回调查，但委员会可以就此事提起申诉或介入您的诉讼（《佛蒙特州法典》第 80-250-001 条，第 27 条）。

对于就业案件，成功投诉人的补救措施可能包括聘用、复职或升级、补发工资、预付工资、退还工资或其他福利、赔偿金（包括精神损害赔偿金）、民事处罚（如适用）和惩罚性赔偿（21 VSA § 495b）。

是的，很多情况下是的。联邦就业反歧视法（称为第七章）仅适用于至少拥有15名员工的雇主，投诉必须在歧视行为发生后180天内向平等就业机会委员会（EEOC）提出。但如果您最初向委员会或平等就业机会委员会（CRU）提出投诉，并表明希望将投诉交叉提交给EEOC，则投诉时限将延长至委员会或CRU终止案件后300天或30天（以较早者为准）。（在联邦机构工作的人员不在本出版物的讨论范围内。）

提起歧视索赔的人有时可能会同时寻求州法律和联邦法律的保护。这是因为州法律和联邦法律的规定可能存在重叠。例如，《宪法》第七章禁止基于种族、性别、年龄、宗教和残疾（包括艾滋病毒感染状况）的就业歧视，但并未明确禁止基于“性取向”或“性别认同”的歧视。

由于越来越多的法院和政府机构认识到性取向和性别认同歧视的根源在于性别歧视，联邦平等就业机会委员会 (EEOC) 近期表示，将同时受理“性别认同”和“性取向”歧视投诉，以调查投诉人是否遭受了被禁止的“性别”歧视。更多信息请访问：    https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/wysk/enforcement_protections_lgbt_workers.cfm. 另请参阅 https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/litigation/selected/lgbt_facts.cfm.

GLAD 建议，如果州和联邦管辖权可能存在重叠，您应首先考虑向委员会或 CRU 提交申诉，但请记住，您也有可能向联邦法院提起诉讼。如果您有性取向或性别认同投诉，您应该勾选“性别”以及“性取向”或“性别认同”作为您申诉的依据，并请求委员会或 CRU 将您的申诉与平等就业机会委员会 (EEOC) 进行交叉归档。

有可能，具体取决于您的具体情况。本出版物仅涉及佛蒙特州反歧视法，您可能还享有其他权利。

1. 联盟： 如果您是工会会员，您的合同（集体谈判协议）可能会在受到纪律处分、解雇或其他与工作相关的处罚时赋予您额外的权利。事实上，如果您根据合同获得了救济，您可以决定不再寻求其他救济。请获取并阅读您的合同副本，并联系工会代表提出投诉。合同规定的截止日期非常严格。请记住，如果您的工会拒绝协助您进行投诉，您可能会因其未能与您合作或未能履行公平代表的义务而对其提起歧视诉讼。
2. 州或联邦法院： 您可以在向委员会、竞争救济小组 (CRU) 或平等就业机会委员会 (EEOC) 提交申请之后，或者不向委员会、竞争救济小组 (CRU) 或平等就业机会委员会 (EEOC) 提交申请，而选择向法院提起诉讼。您可以在上述时限内的任何时间向州法院提起诉讼。但是，要向联邦法院提起诉讼，您必须从 EEOC 撤回您的案件，EEOC 会解释何时以及如何撤回您的案件。

此外，您还可以就歧视机构未能妥善处理的其他索赔提起诉讼，例如您因违反合同被解雇、未获得员工手册中承诺的渐进式处罚而被解雇，或因做了雇主不喜欢但法律要求做的事情而被解雇。同样，如果您因宪法权利受到侵犯而提出索赔——例如，如果您是一名教师或政府雇员，认为自己的言论自由权或平等保护权受到侵犯——那么这些事项也必须在法庭上审理。

因他人提起歧视索赔而对其进行报复是违法的，您可以就报复行为向雇主或房东提出额外投诉。“报复”保护涵盖参与诉讼程序或以其他方式反对违法行为的人员。如果雇主或房东因该行为对雇员或租户采取行动，则该雇员或租户可以提出报复索赔（《美国反歧视法典》（VSA）第 9 卷第 4506(e) 节（禁止在公共场所和住房中进行报复）；《美国反歧视法典》（VSA）第 21 卷第 495(a)(8) 节（禁止在工作场所进行报复）。  另请参阅 Provencher 诉 CVS 药房案， 145 F.3d 5 (1st Cir. 1998)（支持一名男同性恋者根据联邦第七章提起性骚扰索赔的联邦报复索赔）。

联系 GLAD Answers www.GLADAnswers.org 或在任何工作日拨打电话 800-455-4523 (GLAD) 讨论选择。

一般来说，仍在歧视性条件下工作或居住的人必须评估提起诉讼将如何影响他们的工作或住房，以及他们是否有能力承担这些可能的后果。当然，即使一个人被解雇或驱逐，他们也可能认为提起歧视诉讼不值得。这是个人选择，应在收集足够的信息和建议以做出明智的决定后再做出。

有些人倾向于在提起诉讼之前先与律师会面，评估其索赔的力度。最好向律师提供一份事件概要，按日期排列，并说明各方当事人（以及如何联系他们）。尽量准备好员工手册或人事手册的副本，以及所有合同、工作评估、备忘录、解雇信等类似文件。