In what is being described as a landmark ruling for transgender rights, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ruled that Title VII also protects transgender workers. The EEOC concluded that under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the federal law that protects employees from sex discrimination, any employer who discriminates against an employee or applicant on the basis of the person's gender identity is violating the prohibition on sex discrimination. The decision applies to both public and private employers throughout the country.