Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund

After a 15 month process, Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) and our client, Leah Kozak, announce major health care achievement in conjunction with railroad industry and labor unions that removes blanket exclusions for transgender-related care from all railroad health plans, covering virtually all railroad workers and their families nationwide.

TLDEF, in collaboration with New York Civil Liberties Union and BakerHostetler, reached an agreement on behalf of Jena Faith, a transgender inmate in Steuben County, New York. Under the settlement, the county commits itself to upholding the dignity and respect of transgender people by changing its jail policies to comply with federal and state laws. These new policies can be used as a model for other counties in New York and around the country.

Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) filed a lawsuit on behalf of a number of plaintiffs and is suing the Trump administration in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. This rule undermines the Affordable Care Act's non-discrimination protections and would promote discrimination in health care on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and sex - including pregnancy, gender identity, and sex stereotyping.

Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) filed a lawsuit on behalf of a number of plaintiffs and is suing the Trump administration in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. This rule undermines the Affordable Care Act's non-discrimination protections and would promote discrimination in health care on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and sex - including pregnancy, gender identity, and sex stereotyping.

Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) hailed today’s landmark Supreme Court ruling that transgender people cannot be fired for who they are. In a 6-to-3 ruling, the justices issued a sweeping decision that affirms federal law protects transgender and non-binary as well as lesbian, gay, and bisexual workers under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, rejecting the federal administration’s attempts to roll back employment protections.

The COVID-19 pandemic presents a series of unique challenges that may have long-term impact on transgender people and their families. TLDEF has prepared a series of "Know Your Rights" guides for transgender and non-binary people who are confronted by COVID-19 and questions related to employment, housing, health care, identification, and accessing assistance from government agencies among other issues.