31/08/2017

Lack of awareness by employers of the challenges faced by trans employees can leave them feeling isolated at work, reveals a new Acas study that found even though trans people are better supported in UK workplaces than they were 20 years ago, there is still a long way to go to create a positive environment. 

The study found that many employers were not fully conversant with the provisions in the Equality Act 2010 * on gender reassignment discrimination, which protect some, but not all, trans employees from unfair treatment at work. As a result, it is often left to the victims of transphobia to explain the law to their employers.

‘Gender reassignment’ links to a range of advice and information, including

  • gender reassignment discrimination: key points for the workplace (new guidance)
  • tips for employers (factsheet)
  • gender reassignment myths (factsheet)
  • supporting trans employees in the workplace (research)
  • gender identity typology (a guide to trans terminology)

Issues covered in the guidance include

  • using the correct terminology when discussing trans issues
  • which trans identities are protected by the law and which aren’t
  • best practice on issues such as recruitment, confidentiality and line manager support

* The Equality Act 2010 protects those who have undergone, are undergoing or are part of a process to change their gender but does not explicitly protect so-called non-binary people who, for example, identify as neither man nor woman.