Pennsylvania Anti-Discrimination Laws: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
By Sydney Normil (Summer Associate)
Currently, federal and state (Pennsylvania) anti-discrimination laws protect against discrimination on the basis of sex (male vs. female), but not sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. However, a number of Pennsylvania municipalities have enacted ordinances prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity or expression. The list of municipalities is always changing, and the protection offered by each municipality varies. For example, one municipality may protect against transgender identity discrimination while another municipality may protect only against sexual orientation discrimination. It is necessary to consult with the individual municipality to determine which protections are available.
Filing a Complaint
An aggrieved individual can file a “complaint” with its municipality for discriminatory acts performed against them in employment, housing or public accommodation matters occurring within the borough or city limits. A complaint is a form that requests general information of both the person filing and of the accused employer and a summary of the alleged discriminatory acts. Each municipality may maintain a different form and course of procedure for investigating such complaints. For example, the complaint form may need to be printed and mailed or hand delivered, or the complaint form may be submitted online. This list contains the names of the municipalities and their respective commissions, and hyperlinks to the municipalities’ websites, complaint forms or guides to filing a complaint, if available. (Last updated July 2014)
Municipalities:
Abington Township – Abington Township Human Relations Commission – The complaint form can be found here.
Allegheny County – Allegheny County Human Relations Commission – The complaint form can be found here.
City of Allentown – Human Relations Commission of the City of Allentown – The complaint form can be found here.
City of Bethlehem – Bethlehem Human Relations Commission
Bristol Borough – Bristol Borough Human Relations Commission
Bucks County– Bucks County Human Relations Council
Cheltenham Township – Cheltenham Township Human Relations Commission – The complaint form can be found here.
Borough of Conshohocken – Borough of Conshohocken Human Relations Commission
Borough of Dowington – Dowington Human Relations Commission
Borough of Doylestown – Doylestown Human Relations Commission – The complaint form can be found here.
City of Easton – Easton Human Relations Commission
East Norriton Township – East Norriton Township Human Relations Commission
Erie County – Erie County Human Relations Commission – The guide to filing a complaint can be found here.
City of Farrell – City of Farrell Human Relations Commission
City of Harrisburg– Harrisburg Human Relations Commission
Haverford Township – Haverford Human Relations Commission
City of Lancaster – Lancaster City Human Relations Commission – The complaint form can be found here.
Lansdowne Borough – Lansdowne Human Relations Commission
Lower Merion Township – Lower Merion Township Human Relations Commission – The complaint form can be found here.
Jenkintown Borough – Jenkintown Borough Human Relations Commission
Borough of Newton– Newtown Human Relations Commission
Borough of New Hope – New Hope Human Rights Commission
City of Philadelphia – Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations – The complaint form can be found here.
City of Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations – The complaint form can be found here.
City of Pittston – Pittston Human Relations Commission
City of Reading – Reading Human Relations Commission
City of Scranton – Human Relations Commission of the City of Scranton
Springfield Township – Springfield Township Human Relations Commission
State College Borough – State College Borough Human Relations Commission – The guide to filing a complaint can be found here. The complaint form can be found here.
Susquehanna Township – Susquehanna Township Human Relations Commission
Swarthmore Borough – Swarthmore Human Relations Commission – The guide to filing a complaint can be found here.
Upper Merion Township – Upper Merion Township Human Relations Commission – The guide to filing a complaint can be found here.
Borough of West Chester –West Chester Human Relations Commission
Whitemarsh Township – Whitemarsh Township Human Relations Commission
City of York – City of York Human Relations Commission