This is a stunner.
Chai Feldblum, who until recently was a member of the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and a well known champion of LGBTQ rights, has joined the employer defense group of management-side law firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius.
Chai played important roles in crafting the Americans With Disabilities Act, and the EEOC's opinions in Macy v Holder, clarifying protections for gender identity under the Federal Civil Rights Act, and Baldwin v Foxx, clarifying protections for sexual orientation.
This is a surprise move for a high official with Democratic credentials. She has said she intends to provide training and policy revision services to large employers. That could be very helpful to employees, particularly if she can convince them to investigate complaints more seriously than the cursory glance and "unsubstantiated" finding that is now often the case. Also, please train them on what discrimination against LGBTQ people looks like. It's more often ostracism and hidden demotions more than the f word. Also, misgendering is a problem for trans employees. We all also know it take time to adapt for some people, but a month should be enough time for people in frequent workplace contact.
As I am currently representing LGBTQ employees who are opposing employers represented by her firm, my feelings are mixed. As the Talmud says, the defense attorney cannot also be the prosecutor.
I wish her well in her new role.
See this link: https://www.law360.com/employment/articles/1130362/ex-eeoc-member-feldblum-lands-at-morgan-lewis?nl_pk=8a8ce1fc-75c7-4ce5-917e-8a07a0ec3dcd&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=employment
