Empowering Transgender Employees: Employer Obligations and Proactive Practices

Despite the progress made in recent years for LGBTQ awareness and employment practices, many transgender individuals believe that there’s still more work to be done, especially within the workplace. With enough media attention and governmental regulations, it can be confusing for employers to understand what the minimum standards are. The most forward-thinking companies go a step further by being proactive in creating policies, procedures, and other forms of support.

Employers generally would not intentionally create a hostile work environment for transgender employees, but that’s often the end result simply due to a lack of education. Many employers fail to be proactive when it comes to helping transgender workers feel comfortable, welcomed, and accepted in the workplace. Fortunately, there are several concrete steps employers can take to ensure that they’re creating an inclusive and caring environment where compassion helps to clear up confusion and enhances inclusion.

In this practical webinar, you’ll learn how you as the employer, HR professional, or leader can best manage workplace issues that affect transgender employers. You’ll come away with a foundation for understanding your legal obligations as well as explore best practices to increase employee engagement in your company.

• Introduction to inclusive terminology, including Transgender and LGBTQ
• Recognize implicit and explicit biases in reference to Transgender issues
• Overview of federal, state, and local protections for Transgender employees
• Clarify the roles and expectations of company leaders, including Human Resources
• Provide a checklist for reviewing your company policies and procedures
• Walk through of a sample gender transition plan

• Definitions and clarifications on Transgender and LGBTQ terminology
• Diversity and inclusion considerations in relation to Transgender topics
• Common implicit and explicit biases related to Transgender matters
• Governmental protections for Transgender employees
• Roles and expectations of Human Resources and company leaders
• Policies and procedures that companies should review and update
• Sample gender transition plan
• Q&A Session

Embracing diversity and fostering inclusion not only benefits transgender employees but also contributes to organizational success. Navigating workplace inclusion requires a concerted effort from employers to understand their obligations and implement proactive practices that support transgender employees. By prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion, organizations can create environments where all individuals feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best work.