Proposed state law tackles LGBTQ workplace discrimination

Ralph Kellogg was outed at his former place of employment about 10 years ago. He says, his then-manager made it clear she didn't like that he is married to a man.

"I wasn't terminated, but what I experienced was complete isolation," says Kellogg. "I experienced a scope of responsibility being taken away from me, I experienced projects being taken away from me."

Kellogg says the only thing that changed was his former manager knew about his sexual orientation.

"I had great performance reviews, great company accolades, I had a masters degree; and all of a sudden I went from being a top performer and someone on the move to some who marginalized and isolated within my role."

Under current state law it is legal for employers to discriminate against LGBTQ people.

would change that. It needs to happen, says one of Kellogg's current colleagues.

"We have offices in Grand Island and in North Platte and we want to see those protections extended to our staff in those communities, and not just to our staff, but to everybody throughout Nebraska," says Dawn Gonzales, VP of Community Development at Centris Federal Credit Union.

Kellogg says he took all the right steps at his former job, but to no avail. He was simply told:

"'If you're unhappy here, if you don't like it here, go somewhere else'."

He did go somewhere else. Kellogg's happily out as a gay man and 10 years into a career at Centris Federal Credit Union.

His hope is a statewide law will help ensure LGBTQ people have every opportunity afforded to others.

"There's so many talented, bright people in our community and across the United States who are left feeling that they don't matter and that what they have to bring to the table doesn't matter, simply because of their orientation."

Kellogg is currently the VP of Human Resources at Centris Federal Credit Union.