Portsmouth could become the first city in New Hampshire to enact a policy protecting city employees who are transgender from workplace discrimination.
At present, New Hampshire is the only state in New England that does not have a law protecting people from discrimination based on gender identity. That’s despite the state’s laws protecting individuals based on sexual orientation, gender, race, creed, marital status, or disability.
So, Portsmouth Assistant mayor Jim Splaine says he hopes to get the ball rolling at the municipal level.
In Portsmouth, this would be setting policy in our city that no one who is transgender would be discriminated against in employment. But we’re also asking the state legislature to consider adopting transgender protections in state law.
If Splaine is successful, Portsmouth will be the first city in New Hampshire to protect its transgender employees from discrimination. Two-hundred municipalities have passed similar policies elsewhere in the country.
City council will vote on the measure March 3rd.