Diversity

In 1999, the UK Government added additional regulations to the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 giving protection for those on educational courses and for job applicants and employees who intend to undergo, are undergoing or have undergone gender reassignment.

Since 1999 it has been unlawful under the act for employers to discriminate against people on these grounds but this has not always made it easy for transsexual people to expect fair treatment in the workplace and in the provision of education. The greatest problem is ignorance on the part of the employer and since infringement of the Sex Discrimination Act can lead to fairly substantial and technically open ended settlements in a successful complaint being made to an Employment Tribunal, it is vital both employer and employee work together to ensure this situation never happens.

Trans Matters can assist in the following:

For organisations with transsexual clients

Many public bodies such as Prison and Probation Services, court services, educational establishments, the Civil Service and the Emergency Services will come into contact and have to deal with transsexual people as both clients and employees. With transsexual people being very much still a minority witin society this can produce challenges for both the person transitioning, and the employers in their understanding of the needs of their employees, in addition to the misunderstanding of others within the working environment.

Trans Matters can run half-day or full-day Diversity and Awareness courses for staff to ensure that transsexual clients and employees are treated with both dignity and respect and fair consideration is taken of the legal aspects and personal safety issues unique to a transsexual person. Private organisations and charities dealing also dealing with the need of equality within their workplace will also find a awareness course beneficial for their key staff.

The courses are appropriate and tailor made for all members of staff from colleagues to Human Resources, Personnel Directors and Managers.

For the employee

Transsexual workers in their workplace need the same as any other employee. To be treated with respect and dignity, to be free from harassment, discrimination, from being effectively ignored by co-workers and to be supported by their employer at what for them is a difficult time.

We can support the transsexual worker before, during and after their transition at work, through in-company support including working on a one-to-one basis to provide advice and support along with both telephone and email contact. This gives the newly transitioned worker the chance to discuss their worries with someone who has faced similar challenges before.

For the employer

We help the employer before, during and after an employee informs you of their intention to live in another gender to the one they were originally presenting as.

We offer:

• help in writing accurate company mission statements from the employer with regards to their equality and legal obligations to their transsexual employees
• help draft gender and sex reassignment policies for their organisation
• assistance in producing and detailing revised grievance procedures should a manager or co-worker breach those policies
• management workshops for senior managers including best practice and legal obligations that the organisation has towards ensuring a safe and friendly workplace for their transsexual employee along with allaying any misconception and fears in regard to trans issues
• Relaxed workshops for junior managers and co-workers to ensure all staff are fully appreciative of trans issues and to allay fears in order to treat their new colleague with equal respect and courtesy and to avoid giving any offence. Sensitive issues like toilet arrangements during the transition of an employee can often be defused in this way.

Workshops can involve group sessions as well as open discussions with a transsexual person who has gone through this themselves. Feedback and recommendations for further sessions and one-to-one discussions can also be arranged with staff who are continuing to finding this a problem or expressing an unfriendly opinion that might cause the employer some concern as to their legal obligations in regard to employment law.

Useful Links

Gender Reassignment, A Guide For Employers , (Adobe pdf document) The official guidance published by the Department of Trade and Industry's Women and Equality Unit, following the enactment of the Gender Recognition Act. Provides information about the law's requirements for employers and advice about good practice. The Department of Trade and Industry has been disbanded and replaced by the Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform http://www.berr.gov.uk