Resources

Discrimination

Discrimination in housing, employment and credit on the basis of sexual orientation (as well as other protected classes) is explicitly prohibited by state law in Wisconsin. If you feel like you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of your sexual orientation (i.e., because you are or are perceived to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or heterosexual), you can file a complaint with the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division Civil Rights Bureau http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/er/discrimination_civil_rights/how_to_file_cr_complaint.htm
Or visit or contact one of the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division’s main offices:
EQUAL RIGHTS DIVISION
201 EAST WASHINGTON AVE ROOM A300
PO BOX 8928
MADISON WI 53708-8928
Voice (608) 266-6860
TTY (608) 264-8752
FAX (608) 267-4592
or
EQUAL RIGHTS DIVISION
819 NORTH 6th ST
ROOM 255
MILWAUKEE WI 53203
Voice (414) 227-4384
TTY (414) 227-4081
FAX (414) 227-4084

If you feel like you have been discriminated against based on your gender identity and expression (for example, if you have suffered discrimination because you are transgender or because you express your gender in non-conforming ways), the protections available for you under the law are more limited. If you live or work in the cities of Madison or Milwaukee, you may be covered by local ordinances. 
Contact
City of Madison Equal Opportunities Division
http://www.cityofmadison.com/dcr/eo.cfm
Voice (608) 266-4910
TTY/Textnet: (866) 704-2314

City of Milwaukee Equal Rights Commission
http://www.ci.mil.wi.us/EqualRightsCommissio19612.htm
Voice (414) 286- 6210
TDD: (414) 286-2960
In many cases it is worthwhile to discuss your situation with a private attorney. Be sure to discuss up front what their fees might be.

If you are very low-income, you may be able to find an agency that can provide you with free or low-cost legal services. You can do your own research at http://www.wisbar.org/AM/Template.cfmSection=Wisconsin_Legal_Services_Agencies

Workplace

Many improvements at workplaces have come from employees’ thoughtful and well-organized efforts to make their employers’ policies more LGBT friendly, including adding domestic partner benefits and nondiscrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation. There’s work to be done! For example, Wisconsin’s Fortune 500 companies lag behind the national average in the provision of domestic partner benefits. Contact Equality Wisconsin at (414) 431-1306 or info@equalitywi.org or visit the links below.

http://www.hrc.org/issues/workplace.asp
http://www.9to5.org/resources/helpline
http://prideatwork.org/page.php?id=5


Files
DomesticPartnerBenefitsStudyofSoutheastWisconsinOct2010r.pdf
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Equality Wisconsin Fund report on domestic partner benefit best practices.  1011k v. 1 Aug 9, 2011 7:10 AM Jonathon Flynn