The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plans to hire a program specialist to address gay issues in the workplace. The newly created position, which has been applauded by gay civil rights advocates, marks the first time a presidential administration has advertised a position to address these issues.
“This bold, intelligent move mirrors the highly effective human resources practices of corporate America, and will help create a more efficient and effective federal government,” said Elizabeth Birch, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign.
The program specialist will serve as the USDA’s departmental gay and lesbian employment manager by providing leadership and direction for management, advisory councils and more than 98,000 employees. Similar positions have also been created to represent the concerns of women, blacks and Latin, Asian and Native Americans in the workplace.
