A Recent Report Explains Discrimination Against Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Workers Is Pervasive
Over the past few months, at the behest of New York Governor Kathy Hochul, the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) has been quietly gathering metrics about the experience of TGNCNB (transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary) employees in the workplace.
Examining these statistics led to some pretty stark conclusions.
Key findings in the NYSDOL report include (among others):
► Employment discrimination based on gender identity is pervasive throughout the state.
How so? Discrimination against the TGNCNB in New York includes termination, microaggressions, harassment. These employees also experience extensive intersectional discrimination based on race, immigrant status, and other protected classes in addition to gender discrimination.
► TGNCNB people of color experience greater employment disparities.
►There is a lack of cultural competency statewide regarding gender identity and expression. That is, an understanding that New York law protects LGBTQIA and TGNCNB individuals from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
► There is a genuine fear for safety in the workplace among TGNCNB individuals.
The news is...not great. But hardly surprising.
Employers, a reminder: discrimination based on a person’s transgender status, gender identity or expression, non-binary or non-gender conforming status, or sexual orientation is discrimination based on sex.