¿une 17.2QQ5 ■
rTTïTïTTTInews
S tate of the
W orkplace
Report indicates progress for queer Americans
by Bob Roehr
k olitical losses at the ballot box on
I marriage have not slowed the
progress made by queer Americans in
the workplace. More companies are
embracing nondiscrimination poli-
cies and offering benefits to gay families than
ever before.
That became clear with release of the sixth
annual State of the Workplace report from the
43 percent of the Fortune 500 companies now
offer domestic partner benefits, “10 times the
number of companies that offered them just a
decade ago.” Another 14 of those companies
have announced that they will begin offering
benefits within the next year.
Health benefits are seen as the most impor
tant piece, but the package of other benefits also
is growing for queer employees. At least 83 lead-
ing companies now make no distinc
tion between heterosexual and
homosexual families in terms of all of
their benefit policies.
Transgender people have seen the
greatest increase of protections with
companies adding “terms such as
gender identity and gender expres
sion in their nondiscrimination poli
cies at a pace never before seen,"
Herrschaft said. In 2004, 51 Fortune
500 companies had such protections
in place, an 89 percent increase from
the previous year.
“1 transitioned from Mark to Mar
garet three years ago," said Margaret
Stumpp, senior vice president and
chief investment officer of Pruden
tial Financial. “For those of you who
don’t know.... It's really about a per
son’s spirit and sense of self. It has
more to do with aligning one’s per
sonal presentation with their own
internal spirit."
There was some trepidation at
the company when she announced
her decision, but senior-level execu
tives used it as an opportunity to
learn more about the issues, and
“everyone was uniformly support
ive.” It became "essentially a non-
event.”
John D. Hassell, director of feder
al and state government affairs at
Hewlett-Packard, said, “Companies
and states that do not recognize
diversity deprive themselves of the
creativity and the productivity” of
those potential employees. He said it
was not surprising that the most
innovative and fastest-growing com
panies generally have been the ones
that have led in recognizing and cel
ebrating diversity.
Solmonese said, “It is time tor our
political leaders to follow their own
favorite mantra, ‘What is gtxxJ for
From top. Human Rights Campaign executive director
business is gtxxJ for America,’ ” and
Joe Solmonese. along with Margaret Stumpp, senior
enact similar protections and bene
vice president and chief investment officer of Prudential
fits for all Americans.
Financial, and Daryl Herrschaft. author of the report,
HRC is discussing with congres
point out the benefits of treating queer employees right.
sional allies the introduction of sev-
Human Rights Campaign during a June 6 news
eral pieces of legislation that will advance these
conference at rhe National Press Club in Wash goals. Past efforts have included the Employ
ment Non-Discrimination Act and a measure
ington, D.C.
“Corporate America knows that fair treat proposed by U.S. Rep. Barney Frank. D-Mass.,
ment is not just the right thing to do—it’s gixxJ
to extend domestic partner benefits to federal
employees.
for the bottom line,” said HRC president Joe
The State of the Workplace report for 2004
Solmonese. “Nondiscrimination policies and
and earlier years can be downloaded from
equal employee benefits help recruit and retain
www.hrc.org. JH
the best talent while improving pnxJuctivity by
ensuring that all of their employees can provide
B ob R o EHR is a free-lance reporter based in
for their families."
Daryl Herrschaft, who wrote the report, said | Washington. D.C.
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