HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — Northern Kentucky University has ties to the historic decision the U.S. Supreme Court made regarding the sexual discrimination cases.

What You Need To Know


  • NKU professor pens brief for SCOTUS

  • Brief part of landmark LGBTQ ruling

  • Supreme Court rules 6-3 for employment protection for LGBTQ

Jack Harrison, a law professor, with the university co-wrote a brief with other employment law scholars. He said it’s not his first time submitting a brief to the United States Supreme Court.

“I have written, joined in and submitted several others in the past, I’m trying to think, it’s probably the first one that I have submitted in the area of near employment law and sexuality,” Harrison said.

Last summer he and three other colleagues spent hours writing, drafting, and editing a brief that provided information and their expertise on needing employee protection for those facing sexual discrimination.

Harrison says it was exciting to see part of their work reflected in the 172-page ruling.

“In reading the opinion, it was pretty exciting just seeing that the consolidated effort on the part of our amicus brief and others that really focused on the issue of the text, the words themselves of Title 7,” Harrison said.

Harrison said this issue is close to his heart.

“Just to be frank, one as a gay man who is certainly focused on these issues both professional and personally, a big part of my career I have personal investment,” Harrison said.

That investment is slowly paying off. Harrison points out that while marriage equality became law in 2015, there wasn’t employee protection until now.

“That was a great gap in the law that was rectified yesterday,” Harrison said.

The supreme court justices ruled six to three in favor of employment protection for those who identify as LGBTQ.