Court exempts a Texas company from following anti-discrimination law protecting LGBTQ+ workers

By KEVIN McGILL
Associated Press

A federal appeals court says a government agency cannot enforce anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination employment rules against a Texas company owned by a conservative Christian. The Tuesday ruling by a 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals comes in a lawsuit that Braidwood Management filed to protect itself from the possibility it would face penalties from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for its policies, such as gender-specific dress codes. The 5th Circuit panel says enforcement of EEOC rules forbidding anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination against Braidwood would illegally force the company to violate its religious beliefs.