Equal Work, Unequal Treatment

Imagine having to brace yourself every day for insults and abuse from your co-workers. Or having to decide which is more important: keeping your job or staying home to take care of your loved one, who’s seriously ill.

Imagine being denied a promotion—or even getting fired—just because of who you are.

And imagine there was nothing you could do about any of it, because it was all completely legal.

Would you give a damn?

Little to no protection

Despite the strides we have made in this country to try to ensure equal opportunities, equal treatment and equal pay for all, “all” doesn’t necessarily include someone who is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. We have laws to protect against workplace discrimination—but not on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. In 29 states, you can get fired just for being gay. In 38 states, you can get fired just for being transgender.

And while the federal government helps working Americans take care of their families—like being able to take leave from work to care for an ill spouse and being able to cover loved ones through the health insurance and retirement benefits from work—gay or transgender employees don’t get that same kind of help.

It turns out that only 21 states and the District of Columbia prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. Of those, only 12 plus the District of Columbia also protect employees from discrimination based on gender identity.

And more than 3 million hardworking gay and transgender adults live in states that offer no protection from any kind of workplace discrimination.

Still more to do

Corporate America is starting to make progress on the issue. More Fortune 500 businesses are now offering protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity than ever before, and a little over half offer domestic partner benefits.

But we still have more work to do.

Because, a decade into the 21st century, only the largest of American businesses protect all employees from being fired capriciously. Three out of every 5 American citizens live in jurisdictions that offer no such protections.

Because the nation’s biggest employer—the federal government—still doesn’t consistently offer the same level of workplace protections or benefits for its gay and transgender employees as it does for its straight workers.

And because people are still being fired for who they are.

It’s time for things to change.

It’s time to end workplace discrimination and give everyone the opportunity to work hard, earn a living and provide their families.

JOIN GIVE A DAMN!

• Join the Campaign if you haven’t already
• Learn about the Campaign

GET INFORMED

Knowledge is power. We all need to stay informed.

• Download the Damn PDF about Workplace Discrimination
• Watch one of our Damn Videos or read people’s Personal Stories
• Check out our Damn Blog
• Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube

GET INVOLVED

Spread the word. Encourage the people in your life to get involved—especially if they’re straight and have never given this issue a lot of thought. Simply:

• Share one of our Damn Videos or someone’s Personal Story
• Share Your Personal Story
• Download and use some Damn Stuff

GET MORE INFORMED AND INVOLVED

Visit our nonprofit partner’s website; they’re experts on workplace discrimination. They can provide you a ton of additional resources and ways to get involved:

• HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN

Information on this page provided by:

• Human Rights Campaign: “U.S. Federal Government Employment Policies”
• Human Rights Campaign: “OPM Publishes Regulations to Expand Partner Benefits”
• Human Rights Campaign: “Statewide Employment Laws & Policies”
• Human Rights Campaign: “The State of the Workplace for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Americans 2007 – 2008”
• The Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law: “Bias in the Workplace: Consistent Evidence of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination”
• The Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law: “Evidence of Employment Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: Complaints Filed with State Enforcement Agencies 1999 – 2007”
• U.S. Dept. of Labor