The U.S. Supreme Court has announced that it will hear three cases addressing whether discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and transgendered status constitutes discrimination “because of sex” and therefore prohibited under Title VII.

The Court agreed to hear two of the cases together to resolve a split in the U.S. Circuit Courts as to whether discrimination based on sexual orientation is prohibited by Title VII.  In one case, Zarda v. Altitude Express, Inc., 883 F.3d 100 (2nd Cir. 2018), the Second Circuit held that such discrimination is prohibited; in the other, Bostock v. Clayton County, 723 F. App’x 964 (11th Cir. 2018), the Eleventh Circuit held that is it not.  The third case will decide whether discrimination based on gender identity is prohibited by Title VII.

The cases have been set for argument during next year’s term.  The Court will likely issue a decision by early summer, 2020.

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