Funeral home settles lawsuit that led to landmark LGBTQ rights Supreme Court ruling

Actress Laverne Cox greets Aimee Stephens, who was fired from her job at a funeral home when she announced her transition. Her former employers say they are allowed to fire trans people because federal law doesn’t protect them.
Photo: Screenshot/Twitter/ACLU of Michigan

Detroit’s R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes has settled a lawsuit brought by former employee Aimee Stephens for anti-transgender discrimination. The case ended up at the Supreme Court and was one of three cases that established that LGBTQ people are covered under federal civil rights laws.

Stephens passed away shortly before the ruling was announced. The company settled with her estate.

Related: Here are the Supreme Court cases about transgender issues that the court wouldn’t take

The company will pay Stephens’ estate $130,000 for lost wages and damages and $120,000 to the ACLU Foundation to repay the cost of litigation and attorney fees.

“We are pleased that all sides were able to come to an agreement regarding damages and attorney fees,” said Jay Kaplan, Stephens’ attorney. “The settlement of this case is bittersweet in that Aimee passed away before matters could be resolved.”

The company also has to give…

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