Chapel Hill, N.C., enhances antidiscrimination ordinance

The town council of Chapel Hill, N.C., on May 10 unanimously approved an amendment to town policy that adds sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression to a list of classifications covered by an ordinance prohibiting discrimination in employment. The ordinance previously used the term "affectional preference," a term that was replaced with "sexual orientation." With the revision, the town code now states: "All personnel responsible for recruiting and employment will continue to review regularly the implementation of this personnel policy and relevant practices to assure that equal employment opportunity based on reasonable job-related job requirements is being actively observed to the end that no employee or applicant for employment shall suffer discrimination because of age, sex, race, color, religion, nonjob-related disability, national origin, sexual preference, gender identity, gender expression, or marital status." The same town council voted unanimously on April 14 to request that the North Carolina general assembly repeal the state's Defense of Marriage Act.