An effort by City Councilman Chip Henderson to amend the city's new employee handbook relating to sexual orientation and gender identity fell short on Tuesday night.
He proposed that the handbook include wording from the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which does not specifically mention sexual orientation and gender identity.
At the agenda session, Councilman Henderson had asked City Attorney Wade Hinton if the change would undo the council action several months ago in giving employees protections relating to sexual orientation and gender identity. He said that it would.
Attorney Hinton said, even though that language is not spelled out in certain laws, the courts have been interpreting the laws to grant those rights.
Councilman Ken Smith seconded the motion "for discussion."
But it lost on a voice vote.
Councilman Chris Anderson said, "It seems like we keep fighting this same battle over and over and I keep winning. This would reduce the rights of our employees and I can't stomach it."
Councilman Jerry Mitchell said he was against the amendment because it "would put it in the hands of the federal government. It's our job to protect our employees. I think we should be doing that by home rule."