UPDATE: Taxicab Authority Employees to Receive Diversity Training

On March 4, 2010, the ACLU of Nevada sent a letter to the board of the Nevada Taxicab Authority urging that they take immediate steps to stop the circulation of an old policy that classifies homosexual individuals in the same "high-risk" group for communicable disease as intravenous-drug users and prostitutes.

The policy, according to media reports, was amended in 2007, but not changed in the materials circulated among employees under the supervision of the Taxicab Authority, a state governmental agency. According to the ACLU, this situation is unacceptable must be fixed immediately.

"Misinformation about the risks associated with patrons of a certain sexual orientation could lead to speculative denials of service or other situations involving serious violations of our [state] nondiscrimination statutes," said the letter, signed by Staff Attorney & Interim Southern Program Director Maggie McLetchie.

In addition to ensuring that the outdated and discriminatory policy is no longer circulated, the ACLU requested that employees regulated by the Taxicab Authority be reeducated about the need to treat all patrons fairly, "because we are a state that identifies as, and depends upon, being a welcoming and open environment."

On March 9, 2010 the Taxicab Authority responded to our letter saying that it "does not tolerate discrimination in any form." The letter confirmed that the old, objectionable policy was updated in 2007 and that the policy “should have been” replaced by the new policy when it was adopted. To ensure the new policy is the one now followed, the Taxicab Authority says it will be distributed to all employees.

We responded on March 22nd, requesting that the Taxicab Authority do more than simply redistribute their new policy.  We asked that they also draft a memo to employees outlining the reasons for the changes and the serious problems that existed in the original language.  The Taxicab Authority must proactively educate its employees about the fallacy inherent in the policy's old language and the need to treat all patrons equally.

Update: Our office received a copy of the updated Taxicab Authority policy that removes discriminatory language from its section on workplace safety issues.  The ACLU of Nevada has also heard from sources close to the agency that employees will receive diversity training this summer, which will include topics related to the LGBT community.  We appreciate the Taxicab Authority taking steps to ensure that patrons will be treated fairly when using their services.  

- Read the full text of the ACLU's March 4, 2010 letter here.
- Read the full text of the Taxicab Authority's March 9, 2010 letter here. 

-Read the full text of the ACLU's March 22, 2010 letter here.