A federal appeals court in Chicago has ruled the 1964 Civil Rights Act does protect LGBT employees from workplace discrimination. The ruling by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is the first time a federal appellate court has come to that conclusion.
The decision comes after the 7th Circuit rejected a July finding by three of its own judges that the law doesn't cover sexual-orientation bias and ordered a rare rehearing by the full court.
The case stems from a lawsuit by Indiana teacher Kimberly Hively alleging that the Ivy Tech Community College in South Bend didn't hire her full-time because she is a lesbian.
The entire court reheard oral arguments in November and directed the toughest questions at a lawyer who argued only Congress could extend protections.
