Transgender Employees Topics: Your Obligations and Proactive Practices as the Employer

Despite the progress made in recent years for LGBTQ awareness and employment practices, many transgender individuals believe that there’s still more work to be done, especially within the workplace. With enough media attention and governmental regulations, it can be confusing for employers to understand what the minimum standards are. The most forward-thinking companies go a step further by being proactive in creating policies, procedures, and other forms of support.

• Introduction to inclusive terminology, including Transgender and LGBTQ
• Recognize implicit and explicit biases in reference to Transgender issues
• Overview of federal, state, and local protections for Transgender employees
• Clarify the roles and expectations of company leaders, including Human Resources
• Provide a checklist for reviewing your company policies and procedures
• Walk through of a sample gender transition plan

• Definitions and clarifications on Transgender and LGBTQ terminology
• Diversity and inclusion considerations in relation to Transgender topics
• Common implicit and explicit biases related to Transgender matters
• Governmental protections for Transgender employees
• Roles and expectations of Human Resources and company leaders
• Policies and procedures that companies should review and update
• Sample gender transition plan

Employers generally would not intentionally create a hostile work environment for transgender employees, but that’s often the end result simply due to a lack of education. Many employers fail to be proactive when it comes to helping transgender workers feel comfortable, welcomed, and accepted in the workplace. Fortunately, there are several concrete steps employers can take to ensure that they’re creating an inclusive and caring environment where compassion helps to clear up confusion and enhances inclusion.

In this practical webinar, you’ll learn how you as the employer, HR professional, or leader can best manage workplace issues that affect transgender employers. You’ll come away with a foundation for understanding your legal obligations as well as explore best practices to increase employee engagement in your company.

• HR professionals, all levels
• Employment attorneys
• Employee Assistance Program professionals
• Small- and medium-size business owners
• Company leaders

Melveen Stevenson is the CEO and founder of M.S. Elemental, LLC, a human resources and business advisory firm. As a certified HR professional with a background in accounting and finance, she helps companies to navigate the human resources “jungle” of compliance, human capital, and leadership challenges. In doing so, she empowers companies to strengthen their infrastructure from the inside out, specifically through leadership development, operations, training, employee engagement, and executive coaching.

Melveen speaks on key topics to empower companies with the latest research and best practices for increasing engagement, enhancing leadership presence, and optimizing diverse workforce groups.

Over the last 20 years, Melveen has held leadership positions in human resources operations, supply chain, and talent management at international companies in food manufacturing, medical devices, and consumer products. She has spent most of her career in California, and has expertise in the state’s complicated employment regulations.

Melveen is certified through the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM-SCP) and the Human Resources Certification Institute (SPHR).  She is also a faculty member at California State University-Dominguez Hills.