The federal government prides itself on hiring both a qualified and diverse workforce that reflects our country’s demographics. This diversity includes people belonging to different protected classes, including races, religions and sexual orientations or preferences. Despite the strides that the LGBTQ community is making with acceptance, there is still widespread discrimination in the workforce.
One concern that seems to go hand-in-hand with gender identity discrimination is verbal taunting. A worker’s colleagues may voice how they believe someone should behave. Hearing comments about a man being “too feminine” or a woman being “too masculine” are common. These are all the basis for harassment and discrimination if they’re allowed to continue.
How are federal employees protected from gender identity discrimination?
There are a whole host of regulations, laws and policies that govern the federal workforce. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission are a few federal agencies that enforce these laws. U.S. employment laws and regulations are clear about how employees shouldn’t have to deal with discrimination or harassment because of their gender identity or non-conformance with traditional norms.
Some of these federal protections prohibit emotional and physical abuse and forbid employers from invading a worker’s privacy.
It’s difficult for the federal government to demand that civilians use non-traditional gender identity pronouns. This lack of control can make non-binary or trans workers feel inferior to others.
What steps can you take if you face gender identity discrimination in your job role?
Many workers hesitate in filing a complaint because they fear that they can’t prove their allegations or that they’ll lose their job for doing so. An attorney can provide you with the guidance necessary to substantiate your claims. Your lawyer can also go over how existing laws protect you from being let go from your role simply because you report impropriety.