Court: Philly anti-discrimination law doesn’t apply to SEPTA

A Pennsylvania appeals court says the agency that runs Philadelphia’s subways, buses and commuter rail isn’t subject to the city’s ordinance banning gender discrimination.

The Commonwealth Court ruled Friday that only the state’s anti-discrimination law applies to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.

That law doesn’t cover sexual orientation and gender identity.

The case stemmed from complaints from SEPTA employees and customers from 2007-2009.

One alleged gender identity discrimination based on SEPTA’s practice of marking a rider’s gender on bus passes to prevent use by multiple people.

A rider who identifies as female but had not had gender-reassignment surgery said a driver was reluctant to accept her pass marked female and asked if she was a man.

The court says applying local law to SEPTA would be unwieldy because it operates in many jurisdictions.