Contents
What Makes a Fair Workplace for Gender Minorities?
p. 2
State and Local Laws
p. 3-4
Gender Identity Workplace Fairness Policies – Frequently Asked Questions p. 5-6
Sample Workplace Anti-Discrimination Policies
p. 7
Gender Identity Non-Discrimination – A Sample Approach to Transitions p. 8-10
Daily Considerations
p. 11-12
Definitions of Terms
p. 13-14
Where Gender is Protected
p. 15
Gender Minorities in the Workplace – Resources for Employers
p. 16
FWP Pledge
p. 17
FWP Business Participant Form
p. 18
Basic Rights Education Fund
PO Box 40625
Portland, OR 97240
Phone (503)222-6151
Fax (503)236-6686
What Makes a Fair Workplace for Gender Minorities?
As a participant in the Fair Workplace Project and according to all applicable laws, your
company is asked to:
1. Adopt and implement a non-discrimination policy that includes gender identity and
expression and notify all employees of this policy (see enclosed sample policies)
2. Respect gender minority employees on a daily basis:
▪ ensure that all employees have access to bathrooms, locker rooms, and other
facilities that are appropriate to their gender
▪ support consistent use of each person's chosen name and pronouns
▪ specify that your dress code allows all employees to dress in clothes appropriate
to their gender identity as well as the work environment
▪ work individually with each gender minority employee to ensure that the
management structure addresses their individual needs. This includes respecting
their need for confidentiality or openness about their identity and creating
individually-appropriate plans for workplace transitions
▪ address oppressive comments or situations directed at gender minority employees
▪ provide adequate time off work for employees having sex reassignment and
related surgeries (required time may vary from a few days to several weeks
depending on the type of surgery and physicality of their job duties– required time
can often be verified by the physician or surgeon).
Additional steps your company can take to support gender minorities in the workplace
are:
▪
▪
▪
▪
Change company forms to be gender inclusive and use inclusive language, for
example provide a write-in space rather than “M” and “F” boxes on employment
application forms when asking an applicant’s sex. Even better, remove this
question when it isn’t necessary information.
Incorporate gender minority issues into non-discrimination and diversity trainings
Ask your health insurance provider to cover the hormonal and surgical procedures
many gender minorities need. Few insurance companies currently offer such
coverage and they need to know there is demand for it.
Call or email Basic Rights Oregon to offer your company's name or resources to
future efforts to protect the rights of gender minorities in Oregon.
Basic Rights Education Fund (503)222-6151
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State and Local Laws
Several jurisdictions within Oregon offer protection from discrimination based on gender
identity or transsexualism. The state of Oregon provides the following protection:
An employer may not be found to have engaged in an unlawful employment
practice solely because the employer fails to provide reasonable accommodation
to a person with a disability arising out of transsexualism. However, an employer
may not refuse to hire or promote or bar or discharge from employment or
discriminate in compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment
because a person is transsexual when the person is otherwise qualified (OAR 839006-0206).
This rule refers to the Oregon Civil Rights of Disabled Persons Act, which covers
actual, history, or perception of disability.
In 1998, Benton County, Oregon passed a nondiscrimination ordinance that includes the
following section regarding employment:
Discrimination in Employment Prohibited.
It shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer to discriminate on
the basis of an individual’s sexual orientation, source of income, gender identity
or familial status, by committing against any such individual any of the acts
already made unlawful under ORS 659.030 when committed against the
categories of persons listed herein (Ord. 98-0139, §28.105).
“Gender identity” in the Benton County Ordinance is defined to include “the status of
being transsexual or transgender” (Ord. 98-0139, §28.005).
In 2001, the City of Portland passed a similar ordinance stating:
Discrimination in Employment Prohibited.
It shall be unlawful to discriminate in employment on the basis of an individual’s
sexual orientation, gender identity, source of income or familial status, by
committing against any such individual any of the acts already made unlawful
under ORS 659.030 when committed against the categories of persons listed
therein (§23.01.050).
Also in 2001, Multnomah County passed an ordinance stating:
Discrimination in Employment Prohibited.
It is unlawful to discriminate in employment on the basis of an individual’s sexual
orientation, gender identity, source of income or familial status, by committing
against any such individual any of the acts already made unlawful under ORS
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659.030 when committed against the categories of persons listed therein (Ord.
969 §15.343).
In 2002, the City of Salem passed revisions to their Human Rights law stating:
It shall be an unlawful employment practice:
For any employer to discriminate on the basis of an individual’s race, religion,
color, sex, national origin, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation,
gender identity, source of income, domestic partnership or familial status, by
committing against any such individual any of the acts made unlawful under ORS
659A.006(2), 659A.030, 659A.100 to 659A.139, 659A.142(1) or 659A.142(2)
(97.020)
The City of Portland and Multnomah County ordinances both define “gender identity” as
“A person’s actual or perceived sex, including a person’s identity, appearance, expression
or behavior, whether or not that identity, appearance, expression or behavior is different
from that traditionally associated with the person’s sex at birth” (§23.01.030, Ord. 969
§15.342). The City of Salem defines “gender identity” as “A person’s actual or perceived
sex, including a person’s identity, appearance, expression, or behavior with respect to
actual or perceived sex, whether or not that identity, appearance, expression or behavior
is different from that traditionally associated with the person’s sex at birth” (97.010).
The City of Portland, Multnomah County, and the City of Salem ordinances allow for an
employer dress code that “provides on a case-by-case basis, for reasonable
accommodation based on the health and safety needs of persons protected on the basis of
gender identity” (§23.01.040, Ord. 969 §15.346, 97.085). These ordinances also specify
that employers must provide “reasonable and appropriate accommodations permitting all
persons access to restrooms consistent with their expressed gender” (§23.01.040, Ord.
969 §15.346, 97.085).
The information provided in this packet is not intended to substitute for legal advice from
your lawyer.
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Gender Identity Workplace Fairness Policies - Frequently Asked
Questions
Question: Why is this policy needed?
Answer: Transsexual/transgender people face serious discrimination in the workplace,
resulting in good employees losing their jobs because they are transsexual or transgender.
This is an issue of basic fairness.
▪
▪
▪
Many people are fired the moment their employers find out about their plan to
undergo a gender transition and/or sex reassignment surgery.
Transgender people who cross-dress outside the workplace live in fear that their
employer will discover that fact and fire them.
Our community should take a stand against this gender identity discrimination.
Everyone deserves to live and work with equality. Good employees shouldn’t
lose their job, or face harassment in the workplace, just because of their gender
identity or expression.
Question: Isn’t this kind of discrimination already illegal? Isn’t it covered by
sexual orientation non-discrimination?
Answer: So far, most courts have not found that policies and laws prohibiting sexual
orientation discrimination apply to transgender/transsexual people. However, protection
from discrimination based on gender identity is found under Oregon state statute and
several local ordinances, including the City of Portland, Salem, Multnomah County, and
Benton County.
Question: Aren’t there other existing protections that can serve this purpose?
What about City protections for sexual orientation or disability?
Answer: Sexual orientation and disability protections don’t address all of the same
concerns or provide complete protections. Especially for transsexual and transgendered
people, there may be situations related to appearance or social, legal and physical gender
transition that put them at risk for discrimination. There are no federal protections, and
very few states offer any legal recourse. Oregon law provides limited protections for
transsexuals under the state disability provisions. It is largely through municipal
ordinances that gender identity protections are created. Over the last ten years nearly 20
U. S. cities have added gender identity protections to their civil rights ordinances. (Taken
from the Questions, Answers and Interpretative Guidelines for the Portland City Civil
Rights Ordinance Amendment to Protect on the Basis of Gender Identity)
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Question: Are we going out on a limb here? Is our company going to be the first to
adopt this kind of policy?
Answer: As of 2001, 46 jurisdictions in the US had passed non-discrimination laws that
protect transsexual/transgender people. Many private employers have amended their
non-discrimination policies to include gender identity. A partial list of employers whose
personnel policies include gender identity are included in the Fair Workplace Project
packet.
▪
▪
▪
Benton County, OR, adopted gender identity non-discrimination protections in
1998. The City of Portland passed a similar law in January 2001. Multnomah
County also adopted a civil rights ordinance including protections for gender
identity in December 2001. The City of Salem passed a similar law in 2002. For
employers in these areas, signing the Fair Workplace Pledge can assist your
company in complying with the human rights ordinance.
Major corporations such as Lucent Technologies and Apple Computers have
adopted non-discrimination policies that include gender identity. Sample policies
are included in the Fair Workplace Project packet.
By May 2001, 12.15 million people lived in jurisdictions with non-discrimination
laws that apply to transgender/transsexual people.
Question: What’s gender identity? Is this the same as gender or sex, or sexual
orientation?
Answer: No, gender identity refers to a person’s sense of self as male or female, and the
ways this fundamental sense of self is expressed to others. Most people’s gender identity
is congruent with their sex at birth. For others, including people who are transsexual or
transgendered, these may be very different. Gender identity is defined in the ordinance as
“ a person’s actual or perceived sex, including a person’s identity, appearance, expression
or behavior, whether or not that identity, appearance, expression or behavior is different
from that traditionally associated with the person’s sex at birth.” (City of Portland
Ordinance). The definition is intended to provide protections which are broader than
those contained in state law. (Taken from the Questions, Answers and Interpretative
Guidelines for the Portland City Civil Rights Ordinance Amendment to Protect on the
Basis of Gender Identity)
Note: Information in this document comes in part from the NGLTF/NCLR publication Transgender
Equality, and is reproduced here with their permission.
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Sample Workplace Anti-Discrimination Policies
These sample policies are examples of useful language for modifying your
company’s non-discrimination policy. The application of such policy should aim to
recognize and encourage employees solely on the basis of their abilities, aptitudes,
performance, qualifications and skills. Such a policy should also acknowledge that
gender expression outside the workplace is irrelevant to employment. The Fair
Workplace Project suggests the following language for a policy inclusive of all
gender minorities:
Fair Workplace Project Sample EEO Policy:
“It is the policy of (company name) to eliminate discrimination based on race, religion,
ethnicity, color, sex, marital status, familial status, pregnancy, political affiliation national
origin, age, HIV status, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity,
or any other status protected by applicable nondiscrimination laws.”
The policies below are examples of existing policies covering gender minorities:
Lucent Technologies Policy:
▪ “Comply with both the letter and the spirit of all applicable laws and regulations
governing employment;
▪ Provide equal opportunity to all employees and to all applicants for employment;
▪ Take appropriate affirmative action to make equal opportunity a reality;
▪ Prohibit unlawful discrimination or harassment because of race, color, creed, religion,
national origin, citizenship, sex, marital status, age, physical or mental disability,
one’s status as a special disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era, or because of
a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, characteristics or expression, in
any employment decision or in the administration of any personnel policy;
▪ Make reasonable accommodations to the physical and/or mental limitations of
qualified employees or applicants with disabilities;
▪ Ensure that maximum opportunity is afforded to all minority and women-owner
businesses to participate as suppliers, contractors, and subcontractors of goods and
services to Lucent Technologies; and comply with regulatory agency requirements
and with federal, state and local procurement regulations and programs;
▪ Advise employees of their rights to refer violations of this policy to their supervisor,
or the appropriate Lucent Technologies organization charged with the administration
of the Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action policy, without intimidation or
retaliation of any form for exercising such rights.”
Solution Logic’s Policy:
“prohibits all forms of harassment prohibited by city, state and/or federal law, including
harassment based on sex, race, color, religion, age, national origin, disability, veteran’s
standing, marital status, or sexual orientation. Solution Logic further prohibits
harassment based on sex or gender identity/expression/physical characteristics.”
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Model Document
CONFIDENTIAL STAFF MEMO
Attn: All Staff in the ______________ Department
Re:
Workplace Transition
Recognizing basic human dignity, treating all employees with respect, and ending
discrimination and harassment in the workplace are important at [name of business].
This memo is intended to foster a safe and understanding environment as Marion Smith
continues the process of a personal gender transition. Marion will now be referred to as
Charles, and staff members will also need to adjust use of pronouns. Charles will be
referred to as “he” and “him”. Pronouns which were previously suitable to Marion
(“she” and “her”) will not be appropriate after this date. The other effect of this change is
use of gender-specific restrooms. It will be now be appropriate for Charles to use only
male restrooms/locker-rooms.
Charles has worked for our department for four years now and is a valuable employee
and coworker. This is a long and involved process for him. Charles and the management
team appreciate the support of employees in the department.
[The appropriate management personnel] will be happy to address any appropriate
questions regarding Charles’ transition.
As all staff are aware, our company policy and applicable state and local laws ensure:
Equal and fair opportunity for all prospective and existing employees in terms of:
▪ Employment
▪ Promotion
▪ Transfer
▪ Trainings
▪ Wages and Benefits
Regardless of:
Race
Ethnicity
Religion
Gender
Sexual Orientation
Gender Identity
Nationality
Age
Familial status
Responsibility/parenthood
Pregnancy
Political affiliation
Marital Status
Disability
HIV Status
We recognize and encourage employees solely on the basis of their abilities,
aptitudes, performance, qualifications and skills.
We strive to maintain a workplace that ensures respect and dignity for all staff.
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Gender Identity Non-Discrimination:
A Sample Approach to Transitions
The main guiding point for employers in creating a safe and fair workplace for
gender minority employees is to respect the decisions of each employee regarding
their self-presentation. Some people may want their gender identity to be
confidential, while others may want your assistance in informing all employees of
their identity. Some employees will be fully-transitioned when they arrive at your
business, while others will transition on the job. Other gender minorities do not
transition at all. This variety of needs is why management should respect the
judgment and needs of each employee.
Below is an example of how management can facilitate an on the job transition. This
model can be applied whether an employee is only changing the pronouns they use at
work or is in the process of surgical transition accompanied by name, pronoun, and dress
changes. But remember, not all employees will want a public announcement.
Transitions in the Workplace
A gender transition is the process by which an individual changes their presentation and
expression to align with their gender identity. This may include a name change, pronoun
change, and hormonal and/or surgical modifications. Transition is an individual process
that can include any or all of these changes.
When an employee of your company advises you of their intention to transition, the
following guidelines will assist in providing a safe and supportive environment for the
individual concerned and all other staff members.
▪
▪
▪
▪
Once advised, management should discuss the situation in full with the employee
to become aware of their issues and concerns. It can also be helpful to seek
additional advice and information. Enclosed in the Fair Workplace Packet is a list
of resources for employers.
Discussions with the employee should not be seen as an opportunity to dissuade
them from their decision. While management may find the disclosure surprising
and unexpected it is important to be aware that the employee will probably have
spent a number of years arriving at their decision.
Once management has gathered the necessary resources and information, they
should work with the employee to develop a transition plan.
If the employee so desires, management should notify all staff members (and
relevant union organizations) in writing of the employee’s intended transition.
This document should be prepared sensitively, respecting the transitioning
employee’s needs and clearly indicating management’s support. The best way to
achieve this is to approach the issue matter-of-factly with a clear emphasis on
management policy to treat all employees with respect and dignity and to prohibit
discrimination and harassment based on gender identity. It is important for
management to set the tone and provide leadership during the transition.
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The document (see example included in this packet) should also include advice on how to
appropriately treat and address the individual concerned. These should include:
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
New name under which the employee will be known
Use of appropriate gender pronouns. (She, her, etc if transitioning to female;
Him, he etc if transitioning to male.)
Access to appropriate facilities (restrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms of
chosen gender)
To be generally treated in the same way as all other members of staff (In no way
should they be subject to harassment, snide remarks, jokes, etc.)
Staff should be encouraged to discuss with management any issues that arise. If
there are concerns it is easier to resolve them if they are addressed promptly.
Where management succeeds in addressing all aspects of transition matter-offactly, everything is more likely to go smoothly.
AIMS
▪ That the process has minimal impact on all concerned and on workplace
efficiency.
▪ That the transitioning employee is treated with respect and dignity.
▪ That any staff concerns are addressed.
▪ That the workplace remains free of discrimination, harassment or unfair
treatment.
▪ That staff will quickly adjust to employing correct name and pronouns.
If it seems that these goals are not being met, further training or reminder memos may
assist in addressing any continuing issues. Continue to work with the trans employee to
ensure that the guidelines presented by management are being followed by other
employees.
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Daily Considerations
Names and Pronouns
Many trans people use a different name than that given them at birth. They may also
choose a pronoun that matches their identity or expression. This may be different than
that associated with their sex at birth or your impression of their appearance. Some
people prefer to refer themselves with the words ze and hir, third gender pronouns.
Work with your employee to find out the name and pronoun they want to have used in
the workplace and how they need it to be used. An employee may legally or personally
need to have a different name or pronoun in different workplace settings. Some of the
workplace settings in which an employee’s name and/or pronoun may need to be changed
are verbal usage, paycheck, employee identification badge/card, job references, and in
personnel records. A personnel change form that formalizes name, pronoun, and sex
changes may facilitate some of this.
An individual may change their name and/or gender with the following authorities or
documents: Department of Motor Vehicles, birth certificate, Social Security
Administration, and passport officials. This process can be lengthy and complicated for a
transgender individual and depends on personal, financial and legal circumstances. Your
employee will know what their legal status is with each of these authorities, and may
need to be officially documented differently on separate personnel forms.
Please help simplify this process as much as possible by providing all appropriate forms
and trusting your employee’s judgment. The decision to identify differently in different
situations is a very personal decision, based on individual needs and safety concerns.
Please be respectful of your employee’s decisions.
Dress Codes
The civil rights ordinances in Portland and Multnomah County require that when
developing policies with employees, you “provide on a case-by-case basis, for reasonable
accommodation based on the health and safety needs of persons protected on the basis of
gender identity” (§23.01.040, Ord. 969 §15.346).
Our suggestion is to have a non-gender specific dress code. For a non-gender specific
dress code, you may require all employees to dress in a professional or casual manner,
appropriate to the workplace environment and safety concerns without gender specific
requirements. If you choose to have a gender specific dress code, different trans people
will have very different needs when it come to dress code policies. Here are some
examples of what these concerns might be, and how you could address them.
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All employees should be allowed to choose which gender requirements to follow, even if
their choice does not match the gender you assume for them. This includes trans people,
regardless of their physical transition status (whether they are non-operative, preoperative, post-operative, taking hormones or not) will want to follow either the male or
female dress code to the letter.
Other employees may need to change their dress according to the situation. For example,
a male to female employee with clients may be known as male to some clients who knew
them prior to transition and as female to newer clients and may need to change their dress
accordingly.
It is very important to remember when discussing dress in the workplace that some
individuals’ gender does not fit neatly into binary categories. In these cases individuals
may ask for the ability to have flexibility in which dress code to follow or may ask to
dress androgynously (neither obviously male or female). We ask that you work with the
individual to find a dress code that meets your professional needs and provides the client
with the ability to “blend genders”. An example is an employee who identifies as
androgynous or trans, not as male or female, who doesn’t want to be perceived as
specifically either male or female. In these examples, a good solution may be for this
employee to wear slacks with no tie, if men are expected to wear slacks and ties and
women are expected to wear skirts. Employees might also choose androgynous dress due
to their transitional status. For example, an employee who is pre-operative in their
transition may identify as a man, but appear to others to be a woman. This person may
not want to adhere to the female dress code because they are male, but may not want to
adhere to the male dress code because they appear to be female.
Restrooms
The Portland, Multnomah County, and Salem civil rights ordinances specify that
employers must provide “reasonable and appropriate accommodations permitting all
persons access to restrooms consistent with their expressed gender” (§23.01.040, Ord.
969 §15.346). Employees should not be forced to use bathrooms that do not correspond
to their gender identity. Like all employees, transgender people need access to safe and
dignified restroom facilities.
Options to ensure safe and appropriate restroom access to all employees include allowing
employees to choose which gendered bathroom is most suitable for them, providing
single seat unisex restrooms, or providing a transitioning employee with an “in use” sign
for the restroom door. Employees should be able to choose what option is most
appropriate to them. For these accommodations to be “reasonable” facilities should be
physically close and accessible.
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Definitions of Terms
These definitions may help you understand the terms used in this packet and acquaint you
with some of the groups that should be covered in such a policy. There are many other
definitions and uses of these terms. The best way to get a fuller understanding of gender
terms is to look at many different sources. Please see the “Resources” section at the end
of this packet for more sources. When dealing with an individual, it is important to ask
what term they prefer for themselves.
Gender Identity: A person’s actual or perceived sex, including a person’s identity,
appearance, expression or behavior, whether or not that identity, appearance, expression
or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person’s sex at birth.1
Gender Expression: The external presentation or appearance of a person as it relates to
gender. For example, dress, mannerisms, hairstyle, speech patterns, social interactions,
etc.
Transition: The process by which an individual changes their presentation and
expression to align with their gender identity. This may include a name change, pronoun
change, and hormonal and/or surgical modifications. Transition is an individual process
that can include any or all of these changes. An employee may be transitioning currently,
or pre-, post-, or non-transition.
Transgendered/Trans: Describes individuals who cross-over gender identities without
necessarily changing their bodies. This includes individuals who identify entirely as the
gender opposite of their sex as well as those who experience themselves as being
genderless or a combination of both genders. People of all sexual orientations may be
transgendered.2
Transsexual: A person whose internal sense of gender does not match the anatomical
sex that she or he was born with. Transsexuals have an internal image of themselves as
the opposite sex and therefore often desire to change their bodies to match their internal
gender identity.3
More specifically, transsexualism also can refer to a medical condition whose diagnosis
and treatment are listed in the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This
definition is important to legal and medical considerations for employees and employers.
Male to Female (MTF): Trans person assigned male at birth who identifies as female.
Female to Male (FTM): Trans person assigned female at birth who identifies as male.
Genderqueers, bi-gendered, androgynes and others: These are three different words
that individuals use to describe themselves when they do not identify as female or male.
1
§23.01.030, Ord. 969 §15.342
“Bridge 13 Participant Packet” Vanguard Youth Services, 2001.
3
“Bridge 13 Participant Packet” Vanguard Youth Services, 2001.
2
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Often, these individuals will assume a mixture of male and female dress and
characteristics, combining elements of both.
Crossdresser: Someone who on occasion wears what is currently considered clothes of
a gender other than their own identity. Crossdressers may also consider themselves bigendered, expressing two genders at different times. Many people choose to refer to
themselves as crossdressers rather than transvestites. Drag king and drag queen refer to
crossdressing as performance.
Intersex: An individual whose biological and/or genetic structure at birth does not
correspond with conventional concepts of male/female anatomy. Many people choose to
refer to themselves as intersex rather than hermaphrodites.
“While some intersex people also identify as transgender, intersex people as a group
have a unique set of needs and priorities besides those shared with trans people. Too
often, intersex people's unique needs are made invisible or secondary when ‘intersex’
becomes just another subcategory of ‘transgender.’”4
For more information about intersex issues, please see the Intersex Society of North
America website www.isna.org.
4
Intersex Society of North America http://www.isna.org/faq/faq-medical.html#what
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Where Gender is Protected
Here is a list, compiled by HRC and BRO, of jurisdictions that include gender identity,
gender expression, transsexualism, or a similar definition in their equal housing and/or
equal employment legislation or which have found protection under existing state law.
States:
California
Connecticut
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
New York
Oregon
Rhode Island
Cities:
Ann Arbor, MI
Atlanta, GA
Boulder, CO
Champaign, IL
De Kalb, IL
Decatur, GA
Denver, CO
Evanston, IL
Grand Rapids, MI
Harrisburg, PA
Houston, TX
Iowa City, IA
Lexington-Fayette, KY
Louisville, KY
Madison, WI
Minneapolis, MN
New Orleans, LA
Olympia, WA
Pittsburgh, PA
Portland, OR
Rochester, NY
Salem, OR
San Francisco, CA
Santa Cruz, CA
Seattle, WA
St. Paul, MN
Toledo, OH
Tucson, AZ
Urbana, IL
Washington, DC
West Hollywood, CA
York, PA
Ypsilanti, MI
Counties:
Benton, OR
Jefferson, KY
Multnomah, OR
Basic Rights Education Fund (503)222-6151
Santa Cruz, CA
Sulfolk, NY
15
Gender Minorities in the Workplace
Resources for Employers
On-Line Resources
▪ Human Rights Campaign Worknet (http://www.hrc.org/worknet/index.asp)
▪ American Educational Gender Information Service, AEGIS
(www.gender.org/aegis)
▪ Center for Gender Sanity (www.gendersanity.com)
▪ Human Rights Campaign, “Transgenderism and Transition in the Workplace”
(www.hrc.org)
▪ National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce (www.ngltf.org)
▪ The Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association, Inc.
(www.hbigda.org)
▪ “Checklist for Transitioning in the Workplace”
(www.tgender.net/taw/tggl/checklist.html)
▪ International Foundation for Gender Education (www.ifge.org)
▪ Multnomah County Ordinance
(http://www2.co.multnomah.or.us/boardclerk/viewdetail.cfm?DocID=8333)
▪ City of Portland Civil Rights Ordinance
(http://ordlink.com/codes/portland/_DATA/TITLE23/Chapter_23_01_CIVIL_RIGHTS_/
index.html)
Books
▪ “True Selves: Understanding Transsexualism - For Families, Friends, Coworkers
and Helping Professionals” by Mildred L. Brown & Chloe Ann Rounsley, 1996.
ISBN: 0787902713
▪
“Transsexual Workers: An Employers’ Guide” by Janis Walworth and Michelle
Kammerer, 1998. ISBN: 0966548809
▪
“Working with a Transsexual: A Guide for Coworkers” by Janis Walworth and
Michelle Kammerer, 1999. ISBN: 0966548817
▪
“Medical, Legal and Workplace Issues for the Transsexual” by Sheila Kirk, M.D.,
1995. ISBN: 1887796002
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_________________________________________________
Name of Employer
In the spirit of fundamental fairness and equality
we support the Fair Workplace Project
We oppose discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
We pledge to include non-discrimination on the basis of
gender identity and sexual orientation in our employment policies.
Basic Rights Education Fund may use our name as a supporter of the
Fair Workplace Project
_____________________________
______________________________
Signature
Date
_____________________________
______________________________
Print Name
Title
Please attach a copy of your non-discrimination policy when you return this form.
Return to Basic Rights Education Fund
PO Box 40625
Portland, OR 97240
Fax (503)236-6686
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Fair Workplace Project – Member Information
Business name___________________________________________________________
Contact name & title_______________________________________________________
Address_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Phone Number (_______)_________________________
Fax Number (_______)__________________________
Email Address___________________________________________________________
Does your organization provide domestic partnership benefits?_____________________
Please list:_________________________________________________________
Does your organization have a LGBT employee group?___________________________
Name of group:____________________________________________________
Contact name and phone number:______________________________________
Does your current non-discrimination policy include sexual orientation*?_____________
Gender identity* (separate category from sex or gender)?____________________
Number of employees __________
___________________________________
Signature
______________________________
Title
___________________________________
Print Name
______________________________
Date
Please include a copy of you non-discrimination policy.
* Discrimination based on sexual orientation is illegal in the state of Oregon (see Tanner v OHSU).
Transsexuals have protection from discrimination under the Oregon Civil Rights of Disabled Persons Act
and discrimination based on gender identity is prohibited by ordinance in the City of Portland, Salem,
Multnomah County, and Benton County.
Please return this form to Melissa Shepherd at Basic Rights Oregon, PO Box 40625,
Portland, OR 97240 or by fax (503) 236-6686.
Basic Rights Education Fund (503)222-6151
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