Follow-up: Labor Dept. adds gender identity as protected class

On Monday, I posted about the slow but steady development in employment discrimination law that is expanding protection to transgendered individuals.  This week, the United States Department of Labor announced a revision to its discrimination policy that lists gender identity for the first time as a protected group.  Although the public statement did not emphasize the inclusion of gender identity but simply proclaimed a "renewed commitment to fair treatment and equal opportunity for all of its employees," the purpose of the announcement is apparently clear to transgendered advocates.