WASHINGTON (AP) — In a first-of-its-kind ruling, the agency that enforces the nation's job discrimination laws has ruled that transgender people are protected from bias in the workplace.

The decision late last week from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said that a refusal to hire or otherwise discriminate on the basis of gender identity is by definition sex discrimination under federal law.

While some federal courts have reached the same conclusion in recent years, employment law experts say the EEOC decision is groundbreaking because it sets a national standard of enforcement that offers employers clear guidance on the issue.

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