Employee Rights
& Workplace Education
​Resources include information on protections and supports for transgender employees, as well as information for employers on how to support transgender and gender-diverse employees.
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ALBERTA & NWT
Best practices for employers accommodating transgender workers
by Janna Young and Ashton Butler. Calgary: Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer Law. Employment Bulletin – June 2019.
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Human rights resources – Canadian trans (human) rights
By Trans Equality Society of Alberta (TESA).
“…links are for human rights resources. Unless otherwise noted, the content of the following links are written from a Canadian perspective. Links to other relevant TESA resources are included at the end of the page, if applicable. “
​Employment resources
By Trans Equality Society of Alberta (TESA)
“…. links are for employment resources. Unless otherwise noted, the content of the following links are written from a Canadian perspective. Links to other relevant TESA resources are included at the end of the page, if applicable.
(Note: These resources are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute legal or medical advice.)”
​How to support transgender employees
Featuring the Alberta Human Rights Commission and the City of Red Deer.
Webinar, October 11, 2017
Human rights in the workplace
By the Alberta Human Rights Commission
“The Alberta Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the area of employment. The AHR Act prohibits discrimination based on the protected grounds of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religious beliefs, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, physical disability, mental disability, marital status, family status, source of income and sexual orientation. You can read more about protected areas and grounds.”
Supporting transgender people in the workplace
By Melissa Luhtanen, Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre, January 2017.
“For a transgender person who is coming out within the workplace, there will come a time where colleagues and staff need to be informed or find out. What are the responsibilities of employers regarding gender identity in the workplace?”
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Rainbow workplace toolkit: Tips for making your workplace a more equitable space for LGBTQ+ people
By Rainbow Coalition of Yellowknife. Booklet. 2017.
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CANADA-WIDE
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7 Ways to make your workplace welcoming for trans people
​By Daphne Gordon. Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada. 2019.
"Transitioning from one gender to another at work is challenging. Here’s how organizations can make their workplaces more affirming and inclusive.
People in trans-affirming workplaces don’t make assumptions about what pronoun to use. They create opportunities for people to signal their pronouns.
People who transition from one gender to another often face discrimination in the workplace, says Laura Gibbon, manager of education and training at The 519, a city-funded agency in Toronto, Ont. that helps organizations become affirming and inclusive spaces for LGTBQ2S* people.
So how can companies become more welcoming for trans people? "
Building trans-inclusive workplaces: A guide for managers, unions and workers
By Public Service Alliance of Canada Union.(2018?)
“The recommendations put forward in this guide are intended to help all unions, including PSAC, do more to build trans inclusive workplaces . Unions can’t do it alone, however . Trans and gender variant workers require the support of their colleagues and managers as well . Therefore, Building Trans Inclusive Workplaces also offers guidance for employers and employees . It is our hope that together we can create workplaces where all workers feel welcomed, safe and supported”
Defending trans members' rights in the workplace: PSAC Workshop Module
PSAC/Public Service Alliance of Canada workshop module. 2017.
"A Public Service Alliance of Canada workshop module for trade union representatives which can be used and adapted to include the realities of each your respective countries regarding LGBT rights."
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​Employment & human rights law in Canada: Transgender rights and employer responsibilities
By Lisa Stam on August 23, 2017. Spring Law.
Human Rights in Canada
By Canadian Human Rights Commission
“In Canada, human rights are protected by federal, provincial and territorial laws. Canada’s human rights laws stem from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In 1948, John Humphrey, a Canadian lawyer and scholar, played a significant role in writing the Declaration. When it was complete, the Declaration provided a list of 30 articles outlining everyone’s universal human rights. The first two articles are about equality and freedom from discrimination, the foundation of the Canadian Human Rights Act.”
Pride at Work Canada / Fierté au travail Canada
"Through dialogue, education and thought leadership, Pride at Work Canada/Fierté au travail Canada empowers Canadian employers to build workplaces that celebrate all employees regardless of gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Our learning, networking and community events happen across the country, advising, celebrating and connecting the most inclusive Canadian employers. We help private, public and nonprofit employers to create safer, more inclusive workplaces that recognize the skills of LGBTQ2+ people. The vision we share with our employer members is a Canada where every individual can achieve their full potential at work, regardless of gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation."
--- Institutional animation video. Jan 2021. "Animation video about Pride at Work Canada/Fierté au Travail Canada and its provided services that support LGBTQ2+ communities and companies that want to make their workplaces inclusive and diverse."
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Support for trans employees: A guide for employees and managers
Government of Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada.
“As Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) diversity co-champions, we are proud to introduce Support for Trans Employees: A Guide for Employees and Managers. We strongly believe in a workplace that reflects our values and ethics: treating all people with respect, dignity and fairness is fundamental to our relationship with the Canadian public and contributes to a safe and healthy work environment that promotes engagement, openness and transparency. The diversity of our people and the ideas they generate are the source of our innovation”
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Transgender support program
By LifeWorks. (Canada)
Support to workplaces and organisations.
“A transgender individual is a person whose personal sense of gender does not coincide with their birth gender. Whether the employee has already transitioned or is in the process of transitioning to the gender consistent with their gender identity, it’s important to understand what the best practices are for managing any workplace implications. We recommend an approach which centres on helping employees and organizations develop enhanced awareness of transgender issues and learn how to best support their transgender colleagues. No matter what the industry or job function, we can help make the transition for the employee and your organization a smooth one. We provide a subject matter expert as a consultant to your organization to help assess your needs, meet with the transitioning individual to make a plan, address leadership issues, consult with legal, coach your people leaders, provide sensitivity training for your employees, and offer other supportive services as identified.”
Click here for French.
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LANGUAGE
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Instead of saying 'Hey, guys!' at work, try these gender-neutral alternatives
Raise your awareness of gendered language on the job.
By Monica Torres. Mar 8, 2020. Updated May 26, 2021. (US)
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UNION PRIDE INFORMATION
Canada’s Private Sector Union (United Food and Commercial Workers Union. Produces the following documents. Examples below.
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UFCW cards on the following topics:
- Bystander Intervention and LGBTQI2S Rights
- Supporting LGBTQI2S Union Members at Work
- Tips for Negotiating Gender Inclusive Language into Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA)
- LGBTQ Mini Glossary action cards
- LGBTQ Action Card - Genderbread
- Say No To Conversion Therapy Action Card
- Pronouns Action Card
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GRAPHIC CREDIT: UFCW Action Card: Pronouns
Bargaining demands for LGBTI workers’rights: A resource and glossary of terms for IUF affiliates
UFCW Course. Jan 2020.
"Course Overview: Standing up for human rights and the rights of workers is fundamental to what we do and who we are as trade unions – an injury to one is an injury to all. We need our lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans members to know that the union belongs to them as much as it belongs to other members."
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​Dealing with LGBTQI2S issues in the workplace
How to be a trans ally at work
“What is an Ally?” “LGBTQ1S2 Dos and Don’ts” “FAQs” “Key terms”. (CHART)
Publicly funded gender affirming medical care in Canada
By UFCW in collaboration with CPATH.
Poster indicating where and what surgical procedures are covered for ("gender reassignment") surgeries in Canada.
​Why we fight for transgender inclusion in society:
"Societal discrimination overrides acceptance."
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ARTWORK CREDIT: FrogginBullfish
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​​US & INTERNATIONAL
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Creating a trans-inclusive workplace
”How to make transgender employees feel valued at work”
By Christian N. Thoroughgood, Katina B. Sawyer, and Jennica R. Webster
Harvard Business Review, March–April 2020.
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Gender and pronouns in the workplace
When creating inclusive workplaces for LGBTQ+ individuals, it’s important to pay specific attention to gender and pronoun use in the workplace
"Many organizations have come to understand the experiences LGBTQ+ individuals face in the workplace and have created specific policies to be more inclusive. Some of these include; healthcare coverage for same-sex spouses, protocols and medical coverage for gender transition, and paid parental leave for same-sex couples as well as adoptive parents. Although creating workplace policies is a great first step, it’s important for these policies to be enacted appropriately by managers as well as employees to create a safe and inclusive workplace for transgender individuals. So, let’s talk specifically about gender and pronouns in the workplace."
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The problematic politics of style and gender identity In the workplace
​By Doreen Pierre. Huff Post. 09/12/2019. (US)
"We talked to professionals who don’t fit cis-heteronormative standards about how workplace dress codes can reinforce sexism, racism and gender identity repression."
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Transgender Rights Toolkit: A legal guide for trans people and their advocates
"Thousands of children around the United States have parents who
are transgender, an umbrella term used to describe people whose gender
identity—one’s inner sense of being male or female—differs from the
sex assigned or presumed at birth.
These moms and dads are pretty much like anyone else, whether
married, living with partners or single, and whether adopting, giving
birth, fostering or step-parenting. Indeed, while the fact that they’re
transgender is often what others focus on first, transgender parents are
generally more preoccupied with diapers, homework or getting dinner
on the table: They are parents first.
Good parenting is good parenting, regardless of gender identity."
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