Now is the time to make adjustments to employment policies to ensure an inclusive environment. Here are suggestions for how to update policies and procedures to protect LGBTQ+ employees.
- First, review existing harassment, discrimination, and equal employment opportunity documents and update if necessary to ensure they encompass protections for LGBTQ+ individuals when considering sex as the motivating characteristic.
- Second, consider the impact of other policies that are not as clearly linked to discrimination on LGBTQ+ employees including dress code and healthcare practices.
- Third, reevaluate the application process with inclusion in mind. For example, ensure all gender identities are represented if asking applicants to select a gender.
- Fourth, consider current complaint protocols. There should be multiple avenues to report issues that employees experience. This will allow an employee to confide in a trusted individual increasing reporting so employers can fix the issue in a timely fashion.
- Fifth, enact interactive training to allow employees to understand the new policies more inclusive of LGBTQ+ employees and rebut any existing prejudices employees possess.