Wheeling Council Passes Anti-Discrimination LGBT Ordinance

Wheeling has become West Virginia’s 11th city to pass a policy protecting the housing and employment rights for LGBT citizens.

The Wheeling City Council voted 7-0 to establish new anti-discrimination protections in the city’s human rights ordinance based on sexual orientation, gender identity and veteran status on Tuesday.

The Intelligencer says the ordinance includes exemptions for religious institutions, as well as employers with fewer than 12 employees.

It also gives the city’s human rights commission the ability to issue cease-and-desist orders in response to complaints under the new policy if attempts at conciliation fail. The commission can have the courts enforce those orders if they are not obeyed.

Wheeling is the fifth city in the state to approve such a measure this year.