Skip to content

Policy Update: Proposed Expansion of Discrimination Exemption

Policy Update: Proposed Expansion of Discrimination Exemption

Proposed Expansion - Discrimination Exemption

The Department of Labor recently issued a rule proposal that would expand religious exemptions for all federal contractors, directly repealing the anti-discrimination provisions enacted by Executive Order 11246, signed by then-President Johnson. According to a statement from the Department of Labor, religious organizations, including some nonprofits, “may make employment decisions consistent with their sincerely held religious tenets and beliefs without fear of sanction by the federal government,” as result of this new rule.

Any business or nonprofit organization who acts as a government contractor is currently prohibited from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The proposed rule change would rescind this order, extending the religious exemption to government contractors, including nonprofits. Many nonprofits have expressed concern that the proposed change could essentially give permission for employers to discriminate against various classes of people protected against discrimination, including LGBTQ, unwed mothers, non-Christians, and people of color.

Next Steps

If you wish to issue a public comment on this proposed rule change, you have until Monday, September 16 to comment through the online portal.

To learn more about Nonprofit Connect's advocacy education efforts, please visit our Advocacy resources page. To receive policy updates like this in your inbox, sign up for our Advocacy mailing list.

Leave a Comment
* Required field