The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued a groundbreaking decision stating that employers must provide transgender employees access to restroom consistent with their gender identity and must refer to them by their proper name.  The decision is a key next step towards comprehensive protections for transgender employees under federal sex discrimination laws.

The decision, which came in a case brought by the Transgender Law Center on behalf of Tamara Lusardi, who brought a discrimination claim as a civilian employee of the U.S. Army, expands on the 2012 EEOC Macy ruling, which first clarified that anti-transgender discrimination is prohibited under Title VII.

GLAD Transgender Rights Project Director Jennifer Levi applauded the decision:

“This ruling from the EEOC is a tremendous development, and part of the increasing inclusion of transgender people within state and federal sex discrimination laws. Access to facilities in accordance with one’s gender identity and freedom from harassment such as the willful refusal to use a correct name are critical to creating a non-hostile work environment for transgender employees.”

You can read the full decision and analysis from Buzzfeed legal editor Chris Geidner here.