The ENDA May Be in Sight

When the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says:

"We're cautiously optimistic that we can be neutral on it when it goes to the House floor,"

employers who thought that legislation which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation would be a long time coming, should start shortening their time horizon. The bill in question is known as the Employment Non-Discrimination or ENDA (H.R. 2015).

One reason for the change, more than 40 large companies including Coca-Cola and Marriott International are behind the bill. See Odds good for workplace protections for gays in the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

There are still some negotiations going on -- primarily over the specifics of the protection for transgendered employees and the scope of the religious employer exemption. This would seem a certainty for 2009 if it doesn't make it before then.