TG Rights

[Brianna Lovely]

Hi Everyone, I was doing some research on the net this morning and came across this article. It seems that TG people are being recognized, by a larger portion if the general population. This is a good thing.


Transgender Workers Making Advances In Workplace
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: July 25, 2007 - 3:00 pm ET

(Washington) The number of Fortune 500 companies that ban workplace discrimination for transgender Americans has risen 60 percent since Jan. 2006 and has quadrupled since 2003, according to a new report.

But there is still a considerable way to go, the report issued by the Human Rights Campaign indicates.

Since Jan. 2006, the number of Fortune 500 companies that include gender identity in their non-discrimination policies went from 78 to 125 the report, called "State of the Workplace for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Americans 2006-2007" shows.

In 2003, only eight companies had such policies. Employers across industries have added protections for transgender workers.

In the aerospace and defense industries, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman and Boeing followed Raytheon’s 2005 announcement that it will protect transgender employees from discrimination. Other companies that expanded their non-discrimination policies include Internet giants Google and Yahoo!; supermarket giants Safeway and Costco; pharmaceutical firms Merck, Eli Lilly and DuPont; and Marriott, Hilton and Starwood among hotels.

"It took the gay civil rights movement nearly two decades to see the growth that the transgender community has seen in the last five years in terms of workplace protections," said HRC Foundation President Joe Solmonese.

The report also showed steady growth in the number of employers offering domestic partner benefits over the last year.

A majority of Fortune 500 companies provide benefits to same-sex domestic partners. Over the past year 17 companies have added the benefits bringing the total to 267 – or 53 percent of Fortune 500 companies.

In addition, nearly 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies include workplace protections based on an employees’ sexual orientation, according to the report – up from 51 percent in 1995.

"Fortune 500 companies are moving decisively to protect the entire GLBT community from workplace discrimination and it is time for our nation’s laws to catch up."

Legislation to bar discrimination based on sexuality the workplace was re-introduced in Congress last April.

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act would make it illegal to fire, refuse to hire or refuse to promote an employee based on the person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

The bill was filed in the House by Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio) Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Chris Shays (R-Conn.)

A number of states have varying degrees of protections for LGBT workers. Still it legal to fire someone based on his or her sexual orientation in 33 states, and in 42 states, it is still legal to fire someone for being transgender.

ENDA was first introduced in the 1974, and came within one vote of Senate passage in 1996. Attempts since then have bogged down.

This year, with Democrats in control of both the House and Senate, and with bipartisan support, LGBT advocates are hopeful the workplace bill will finally be passed.

©365Gay.com 2007

[Jillm]

In the area where I live, the city of Toledo Ohio, passed a law that made it illegal to fire someone based on several things, one being gender identity, the law (I don’t know the exact wording) did state crossdressing. Ohio however is a right to work state; I can get fired for any reason as long as it’s not decimation. If I were to crossdress at work they could not fire me for crossdressing but I’m sure they could find another reason. Getting a federal law passed would be a step in the right direction for acknowledgement, but would it really mean anything other than that.

[Brianna Lovely]

Getting a federal law passed would be a step in the right direction for acknowledgement, but would it really mean anything other than that.

I'm afraid we'll have to wait until the current President is out of office, then perhaps repeal all those "Marriage Amentment Acts". Then "we the people" may be able to get a word in, edgewise, and get some federal "equal rights" laws passed.

[Cheyenne Skye]

These kinds of laws sound great in theory but as Jillm already said in a right to work state (most of them are), you can be fired without notice for any reason. So if the law was passed and your boss didn't like you for crossdressing at work or trying to transition, all he would need to do is say he fired you for being late (even if it was only a minute or two) and you can't do anything about it. The burden is on the individual to prove the reason for termination was anything other than what was stated.

[joann426]

you know jillm you are right if you cd at work they can fire you for something else but not for being a cd

[noname]

True, the can fire you for whatever they want. It has always been that way. I've worked at places that wanted to get rid of people and they always found a way. I view the recent laws passed as a good thing, even if it's just on the books. It's a start and creates awareness.