Re: As an employer... (job requirements)

[Julie Comstock-Fisher <julief -at- PDAINC -dot- COM>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Technical Writers List; for all Technical Communication issues
> [mailto:TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU]On Behalf Of Andrew Plato
> Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:56 PM
> To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject: As an employer... (job requirements)
>
<snip>
>
> The only exception is you cannot require anything that
> discriminates on the
> basis of sex, religion, race, disability, age, sexual preference, etc.
> Nevertheless, as I understand the EEO laws, it is still very legal to
> discrimminate on the basis of stupidity.

Actually, sexual/affectional preference is not considered a protected class on a national basis. It is protected on a state-by-state
basis, and in some cities, but fewer than 20 states have added sexual orientation and/or gender presentation to their
anti-discrimination laws.

There is a bill floating around Congress called the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). If that passes, sexual orientation
(but not gender presentation) will be considered a protected class, in a fairly limited way, on a national basis.

I hear you wondering what would be the tech writer tie-in. First, I spend a lot of time writing about these very issues, although
it's usually not at work. However, my not-straightness affects my life at work, although it may not affect my technical writing.
Well, I guess it does affect my writing, since I'm pretty conscious about making gender or relationship assumptions in my writing.

Second, as a writer, I've found high-tech environments a pretty comfortable place to work. I seem relatively normal compared to a
lot of coders. :-) I've also found that hiring in IT tends to be based on skills and abilities.


Julie Comstock-Fisher           Documentation Manager
julief -at- pdainc -dot- com                           PDA, Inc.
.....................................................
I base most of my fashion taste on what doesn't itch.
                                        -Gilda Radner

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