Comments about ‘Pro-LGBT group seeks guv meeting’

"Fair housing and workplace protections could make it difficult for employers to fire employees, the governor added.

Danzig said Herbert is "unaware of the types of discrimination people go through. That was saddening."

I suspect that Herbert is aware that there are many types of discrimination against a lot of people and from something as minor as not having a personality that someone likes or looking like a Hippie or drug addict. There is just as likely to be discrimination against a host of people as there's against gays but Herbert makes a valid point and that is that any law that provides additional protection based on sexual orientation would make it hard for employers to fire an employee for cause if that employee is homosexual without substantial proof on the part of employers.

A gay employee would be able to look his boss in the eyes and say "fire me and I'm going to say that you did so because you found out that I'm gay and you will be forced to settle out of court for millions or risk a lawsuit where you will be forced to pay more."

What don't you get? They don't want special laws, the wanted to included a group, like religion, which can't be discriminated against.

Open your hearts and minds, mormons.. Just like you say you do..

Stories/examples if you guys have any, not that im doubting if it happens or not, I just want an Idea of what it is like, or what frequently happens.

Insert mormon for sexual orientation above.. Same thing.. Why should a mormon be protected and a gay person should not? I'd love to hear why..

Utah is an at-will state.. No need to give a reason for firing what's the real concern?

Stories of what? Discrimination against gays? A very dear friend was to told to curtail her "lifestyle" or she would not longer be employed. Hopefully other employers are smarter than that but I just don't understand why so many are against offering the same protection for all.

Good mention of the 'at will' element. My contract with my employer clearly states I am hired at will, and can be let go without any reason, at any time. I'm a member of a protected class (over 40), but I'm sure I would need to show a pattern, or reliably produce statements about my age from supervisors, to have a case.

This would not be burdensome for employers.

"A gay employee would be able to look his boss in the eyes and say 'fire me and I'm going to say that you did so because you found out that I'm gay and you will be forced to settle out of court for millions or risk a lawsuit where you will be forced to pay more.'"

Anyone can do this already, on the basis of their sex, race, or religious orientation. Should we repeal those protections?

It is the right of business and citizens to discriminate, its called free speech.

If people want change in working conditions, repeal the state Right to Work law that shields and protects business from its employees. This state laws says that any worker can be fired from a job for any reason. It doesn't take discrimination to do it, if the boss doesn't like you even though he often times uses rumors and inuendos in the work place to fire a good working employee. Even if the owner, boss, thinks you are making too much money he can fire you.

This group of misfits are barking up the wrong tree and don't deserve any protections that all citizens can't benefit from. Personally though, its my right and every americans right to discriminate and not like a person for who and what they are.

"Some animals are more equal than others."

This is just one more publicity seeking ploy by the radical homosexuals. They demand special rights, which they should not be granted.

Discrimination is already illegal, and routinely punished. (Unless you are white, middle class, heterosexual, Christian victim - in which case you are automatically branded a racist homophobic bigot.)

Get over it.

Do away with all special treatment and "hate crimes" type pandering.

So in the other 49 states where mormon's are a significant minority, you'd be ok with revoking your religious protection and being allowed to be fired because you are mormon?

Again.. They aren't looking for special treatment. Nor is it a radical idea to think a group which is routinely harrassed by close minded, bigoted individuals like yourself would seek protection under an existing law.

From post at 6:43 a.m. Sept. 1, 2009

"Discrimination is already illegal, and routinely punished."

Unfortunately discrimination in the work place based solely on sexual orientation is not illegal. If an employer fired a Mormon based solely on that person's religion, our community would be outraged. Why do I as a Mormon deserved to be protected in this way, but a homosexual does not?

Well unfortunately in the state you don't need a reason to fire anyone. That is what needs to change. If you do not have well documented cases of why the employee should not be there, you shouldn't just be able to fire them.

Plus, ANYONE can say "fire me and I'm going to say that you did so because you found out that I'm and you will be forced to settle out of court for millions or risk a lawsuit where you will be forced to pay more." I.E. I am female, I am religous. It doesn't fly with those, why would it fly with homosexuality?

People don't want to change the status quo, they have their protections, why cannot gay people. Just so you know, if something passed to protect sexual orientation that would affect EVERYONE, because everyone has a sexual orientation and gender identity. Just wait until a gay employer fires someone for being straight. You guys will be up in arms.

I think most of us agree that homosexuals, heterosexuals, men, women, blacks, whites, etc., etc. should not be discriminated against in the workplace or anywhere else (meaning they are fired simply because of a particular character trait even though they perform well). The problem is that it is very, very difficult to prove that an employer fired someone for that reason, which means that many cases will not have the correct outcome, just as with affirmative action type cases.

Another problem is that employers should be able to fire any person if the actions they choose disrupt business. A person can't choose (in most cases) what color their skin is; they can choose what to wear, how to do their hair, what to say, whether to get piercings or tattoos, or whether to talk about religion, relationships, or any other aspect of private life at work. Produce quality work and you won't get fired. If your boss doesn't like gays or Mormons, then don't tell them you're gay or Mormon or whatever. Also, why would you even want to work for someone who doesn't like you for who you think you are?

Why do these people get to meet with the guv and I don't? I'd like to give him some personal stories of people who have been discriminated against for choosing to wear too much plaid.

congrats an the fairly civil (for the most part) dialogue that has been posted so far (I can't see anything past 10:19 at this time). Hopefully it won't get nasty later on.

Nobody would even notice if a gay person fired a straight person.

If these people would just 'do their thing' and leave the rest of society alone. They've always been a thorn in society and the cause of contention and also the fall of nations historically.

Do you mean religious types?

People wtih ssa shouldn't be discriminated against because of their identity. Just like I, as a Mormon, shouldn't be discriminated against on that basis. It's fair for the law to protect us to that degree.

OTOH, an employer has the right to expect that employees' habits or practices not be detrimental to the organization or its mission. Some fire departments prohibit smoking by their firefighters, at work or not, and have made it stick.

If sexual orientation leads people to do things that reflect negatively on the employer, if they misrepresent the company, cause contention among co-workers, or antagonize clients, that's perfectly good cause for firing. It would be the same if I were supposed to work Sundays and kept calling in or coming late, missed work often because of my callings, or made my religion an issue at work in a way that caused friction.

Unfortunately, sexual orientation has often been shown to prompt the kind of overt, preening, flaunting, in-your-face behavior that leads to these problems, in ways that race, ethnicity, religion, or national origin seldom do.

AND open your heart and mind. Discrimination against LGBT people is prevalent, and totally wrong.