Bill > HB1345

This bill amends existing Oklahoma law to expand protections against employment discrimination by adding "sexual orientation" and "gender identity or expression" to the list of protected characteristics. Sexual orientation refers to a person's preference for heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual relationships, or how they are perceived to be. Gender identity or expression encompasses a person's internal sense of gender, how they present their gender, or their gender-related behavior, regardless of the sex assigned at birth. These additions mean that employers can no longer discriminate against individuals in hiring, firing, compensation, or other employment terms based on these characteristics, similar to existing protections for race, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, or disability. The bill also clarifies that an "employee" is an individual who receives wages, excluding independent contractors, and specifies that the term "employer" does not include Native American tribes or certain tax-exempt membership clubs. The changes are set to take effect on November 1, 2015.