Being LGBT+ at Work

There must be a renewed urgency to tackle anti-LGBT+ discrimination and inequality in the workplace. We have set out our recommendations below for government, employers and trade unions.

Recommendations for government

Government should:

• Consult with unions on a strategy to make sure workplaces are safe for all LGBT+ people.
• Introduce legislation that would protect workers from harassment by customers and clients.
• Reform the gender recognition act, giving trans and non-binary people the right to self-determination.
• Maintain protections for trans and non-binary people in the equality act.
• Introduce a statutory requirement for large employers to report their LGBT+ pay gaps and employment rates – with regular monitoring and action plans detailing how employers will address these inequalities.  
• Act to stamp out the insecure work that disproportionately hits LGBT+ workers, by banning zero hours contracts, raising the national minimum wage to £15 per hour as soon as possible, and acting on fire and rehire and bogus self-employment.
  

Recommendations for employers

Employers should work closely with trade unions towards greater LGBT+ inclusion in the workplace, by introducing and improving inclusive policies and practices.

• Regularly review workplace policies and how they are experienced on the ground by LGBT+ workers and customers/service users. Proactively gather feedback from diversity and inclusion networks and trade unions, as well as experts from LGBT+ charities and community organisations, to identify gaps.
• Take action to make sure that appropriate workplace policies translate into an inclusive culture. Provide training and information about LGBT+ issues and identities. Ensure that staff and managers can identify homophobia, biphobia and transphobia when it occurs, and work with unions to design safe reporting systems.
• Make sure that senior staff are equipped to set a clear culture of inclusivity from the top, and quickly and effectively stamp out bullying, harassment and discrimination.
• Monitor and publish the LGBT+ pay gap in your organisation, and set an action plan for how to tackle gaps and support LGBT+ staff to progress through your organisation.
• Review recruitment processes and introduce steps to support LGBT+ staff to thrive, such as training for hiring managers, and providing information to candidates about the employer’s commitment to inclusion.

More information is available in the Wales TUC toolkit: 10 steps towards LGBTQ+ inclusive workplaces.

Recommendations for trade unions

Trade unions have a hugely important role in leading change in workplaces and across industries. Unions can also help to raise the expectations of LGBT+ workers.

Unions should:

• Actively get involved in workplace LGBT+ networks, to ensure that LGBT+ workers understand the union is there to help and support them, and build the confidence of reps and activists on LGBT+ issues. Unions should beware of leaving LGBT+ networks to be wholly management-led. Networks do not have protected rights in law like unions do, and often cannot speak independently of management. Plus, LGBT+ workers have reported inappropriate use of volunteers to develop diversity and inclusion policies through staff networks - unions should argue for protected time to work on these issues.
• Consult with LGBT+ members regularly to identify gaps in policy and practice – particularly around issues such as: bullying and harassment, recruitment, family leave policies, transitioning in the workplace and transition related leave, access to facilities, uniforms and dress policies, gender options and titles on forms and workplace systems.
• Ensure that trade union reps have a strong knowledge of LGBT+ identities, issues and terminology, and of the law as it protects LGBT+ workers.
• Be visible on LGBT+ workers’ issues - for example, by attending local and national Pride parades, explicitly communicating that trade unions stand ready to represent LGBT+ workers with issues and grievances communicating wins and successes, and using visual signals to demonstrate inclusion – consider the use of flags and pronoun badges/stickers, for example.
• Get involved in the trade unions for trans rights network.  The network will be a space for trade unions to work closely with LGBT+ charities and community organisations, to create and share resources and research, and co-ordinate campaigns.