It is my opinion that discrimination based on sexual orientation is on the rise in Illinois. My Chicago office is getting more calls from the LGBT community which indicates a rise in discriminatory conduct. One of the biggest issues that takes places is name calling. I know this sounds very juvenile but it seems to happen more than one would think. Now in many of these types of cases the comments are made one-on-one. This makes it hard to prove but not impossible.
The most important thing to do is contact an employment lawyer who regularly files complaints with the Illinois Department of Human Rights (“IDHR“). Also recently the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC“) recognized transgendered as a category for discrimination. This allows you even more options if you believe you are the victim of discrimination in Illinois.