Greetings,

Your State Representative is 1 of 15 members who can help secure a public hearing on "The Freedom From Workplace Discrimination Act" - HB 538 - by Representative Villarreal.

The bill would prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

Please take action and help us secure a public hearing on this bill.

Subject: Prohibit Workplace Discrimination - HB 538 Deserves a Hearing

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

As your constituent, I am writing to encourage you to schedule a public hearing in the House Committee on State Affairs for HB 538, "The Freedom from Workplace Discrimination Act" by Representative Villarreal.

This bill gives lawmakers the opportunity to ensure that individuals who work hard and play by the rules are not treated unfairly. This bill would help to ensure that employees are valued in the workplace for their skills and contributions, and not discriminated against because of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

HB 538 would prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. It expands Texas' existing labor laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, disability, religion, sex, national origin, or age.

Twenty (20) states, as well as the District of Columbia, in some capacity prohibit discrimination against individuals based on sexual orientation. In most of these states, the prohibition applies to all employees in the state, and twelve (12) of those states extend that protection to include gender identity.

Additionally, 85% of Fortune 500 Companies have implemented nondiscrimination policies that include sexual orientation, and more than one-third include gender identity/expression.

In Texas, five cities (Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and El Paso) have varying degrees of prohibitions against employer discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and three of these (Austin, Dallas, and El Paso) also prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity.

I respectfully urge you to schedule a public hearing on HB 538 in the House Committee on State Affairs.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]