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Bill adds gender to job discrimination law

Under a bill narrowly approved Thursday by the state Assembly, bosses cannot tell a woman worker to dress in a more feminine manner or harass a male employee because of his slight build. The bill will add actual or perceived gender to the state’s employment discrimination law, which outlaws bias based on race, religion, color, physical or mental disability, marital status, sex or sexual orientation.

The author, Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg, D-Los Angeles, says the bill would help transgender people and those who don’t possess traits that are stereotypically associated with his or her gender.

Those traits could include personality, clothing, hairstyle, speech or mannerisms, according to an Assembly analysis of the legislation.

Under the bill, an employer could, however, still impose workplace appearance, grooming or dress standards that are related to the job.

One opponent, Assemblyman Tim Leslie, R-Tahoe City, said the bill would allow a transsexual worker to “dress opposite their natural sex.”

He said that would be “disruptive of various business places.”

The bill was sent to the Senate by a 41-31 vote, a scant majority of the 80-member Assembly.

Staples inks deal for $1 billion L.A. project

Developers of a proposed $1 billion project surrounding downtown’s sports arena and Convention Center signed an agreement Thursday granting concessions to a coalition of environmentalists, labor leaders and community groups.

Los Angeles Arena Land Co. executive Ted Tanner said the proposed development will provide “quality jobs and strong, balanced communities vital to the future of Los Angeles.”

“This agreement will guarantee both while further revitalizing downtown Los Angeles and adding millions of dollar to the local economy,” said Tanner, the company’s senior vice president.

The agreement was reached after months of negotiations between the company and the Figueroa Corridor Coalition for Economic Justice. The development is to include two hotels, housing, a theater and a plaza.

“It is the first time that a developer in Los Angeles has taken the full breadth of community issues into consideration, including housing, employment and quality of life,” coalition spokeswoman Gilda Haas said.

Project developers told City Council members May 3 that their complex would transform 30 acres of parking lots and aging buildings around Staples Center into a Southern California version of New York City’s Times Square.

Developers, including billionaire Denver railroad magnate Philip Anschutz and Australian media baron Rupert Murdoch, agreed to hire locally and provide a ‘‘living wage’’ of $7.72 per hour with benefits or $8.97 without.

Hahn supporter may have solicited money

Officials of a Riverside County tribe say they spent $100,000 on mailers attacking Los Angeles mayoral candidate Antonio Villaraigosa at the request of a longtime supporter of opponent Jim Hahn.

The alleged actions by consultant Daniel Weinstein – if coordinated by Hahn’s campaign – would be illegal under city campaign finance rules limiting contributions to citywide candidates to $1,000 in most circumstances.

Aides for Hahn, Los Angeles’ city attorney, said they did not know of a telephone conference between Weinstein and six Indian tribes last week, and that Weinstein was not authorized to represent the campaign. Weinstein could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The money the Sobobas gave went toward 120,000 postcards that began arriving in Los Angeles homes Tuesday.

Compiled from Daily Bruin wire reports.