The Wake County Board of Commissioners sharply expanded Monday the groups protected under its employment policy, banning job discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, genetics, veteran status and other characteristics.
Commissioners said the policy governing the county’s nearly 4,000 employees needed modifications to update it because the original protections touched on only a few categories such as age, race and religion. But members of the all-Democratic board said they were also making a statement, noting that the prior Republican majority had passed a resolution in 2012 supporting a state amendment banning same-sex marriage.
“The important task we needed to fulfill was to make sure that Wake County joined those municipalities and counties that have already recognized that protections are necessary for our LGBT employees and others who are entitled to legal protection under federal law,” Commissioner John Burns said.
