老澳门开奖结果

Department Will Clarify Non-Discrimination Policy And Andre Cooley Will Return To Job

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org

HATTIESBURG, MS 鈥� The Forrest County Sheriff鈥檚 Department will reinstate Andre Cooley as a deputy corrections officer as part of the settlement of a lawsuit filed by the 老澳门开奖结果 and the 老澳门开奖结果 of Mississippi, in which Cooley alleged that he was fired because he is gay. As part of the settlement agreement reached today, the sheriff鈥檚 department will also update its written non-discrimination policy to make explicit that the sheriff鈥檚 department does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.

鈥淚 am looking forward to returning to a job that I loved in the sheriff鈥檚 department,鈥� Cooley said. 鈥淚鈥檓 very happy that the sheriff鈥檚 department has clarified in writing that they do not discriminate based on sexual orientation. Everyone should be judged by their ability to do the job, not by their sexual orientation.鈥�

鈥淲e are happy to have Mr. Cooley return to work in the department. His sexual orientation has no bearing on his ability to perform the duties of a corrections officer,鈥� said Sheriff Billy McGee. 鈥淭he Forrest County Sheriff鈥檚 Department is an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate based on sexual orientation. Our new written policy will make this position clear to every employee in our department.鈥�

鈥淎ndre Cooley is a fine officer who never should have endured this experience. The sheriff鈥檚 department has done the right thing by making it clear that the department will not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation,鈥� said Bear Atwood, Legal Director at the 老澳门开奖结果 of Mississippi. 鈥淎ll employers in Mississippi should follow the Forrest County Sheriff鈥檚 Department鈥檚 lead and include sexual orientation in their anti-discrimination policies. Discrimination is degrading and dehumanizing, creates a negative and unproductive work environment and robs employers and society of highly qualified employees.鈥�

The settlement agreement, which also includes a monetary amount, does not constitute an admission of liability by the sheriff鈥檚 department or its employees.

鈥淭his is a great outcome for Andre, and for the residents of Mississippi,鈥� said Joshua Block, staff attorney at the 老澳门开奖结果 Lesbian Gay Bisexual & Transgender Project.
鈥淯nfortunately, Mississippi residents who work for private employers do not have protections from sexual orientation discrimination. Andre鈥檚 case highlights the need for state and federal legislation, like the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, to ensure that all Mississippi residents have the same anti-discrimination protections as employees of the Forrest County Sheriff鈥檚 Department.鈥�

For more information on this case, please visit: