A rainbow flag in front of the United States capitol building.

One of the biggest victories for LGBTQ+ people in the United States happened in June 2020, when the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that workers are protected under federal law from discrimination in the workplace on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Even with this nationwide legal protection, one of the unfortunate realities is that LGBTQ+ people still experience bias and discrimination in the workplace. While many more organizations are becoming affirming and inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ workers, some job seekers find comfort in knowing what rights and protections they have in case things go wrong.

The resources1 listed here will help you advocate for further inclusion in your workplace, navigate your job search with confidence, and with seeking assistance in case you do experience bias, harassment, or discrimination at work.

1. Human Rights Campaign (HRC)

The HRC has several resources on workplace and corporate climate surrounding sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Their workplace resources page includes links to information about employee groups, organizations and companies offering domestic partnership benefits, and legal protections.

The HRC is also the publisher of the Corporate Equality Index. This index “provides a simple way to evaluate whether America’s biggest employers are treating their gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees and consumers equitably.” The Corporate Equality Index lists include top businesses and law firms for LGBT equality.

Additional career resources from the HRC:

2. National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE)

The NCTE is a national advocacy organization for trans and nonbinary people. Their website includes resources on navigating policies, name changes, and employment discrimination, and can be a particularly useful resource for individuals who are job seeking during their transition or with questions about applying to jobs during or after a name change.

3. Movement Advancement Project

Thought LGBTQ+ workers are now protected from workplace discrimination federally, there is still a patchwork of protections and rights across the United States. The policy tallies and maps compiled by the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) show which states/local governments include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in their non-discrimination policies and other laws across a variety of issues.

These maps and tallies can be an important tool to consult if you are looking at jobs or graduate schools in a variety of states. However, MAP’s staff encourage using their resources “as one piece of information among many.” Even if a state has a low or high policy tally, that does not necessarily correspond to the social climate, the community resources, or your own needs/desires.

4. Equality Federation

The Equality Federation is a national accelerator and coalition of organizations advancing LGBTQ+ rights at the state level. These organizations can be invaluable sources of information and support when looking for local resources, state policies, legal assistance, community groups, and more.

Lambda Legal is a national LGBTQ+ legal organization, and has fought for LGBTQ+ rights through litigation and policy work since 1973. Their website includes a wealth of information about LGBTQ+ employment rights and the court cases that have secured those rights.

  • Lambda Legal Helpdesk: LGBTQ+ people who have experienced discrimination can contact the legal helpdesk by phone or online.
  • Lambda Legal Know Your Rights Guides: The “LGBT Employees & Employees with HIV” section includes several guides related to navigating a job search, assessing employer benefits, and what to do if you experience discrimination.

6. Transgender Law Center

Founded in 2002, the Transgender Law Center is a legal advocacy organization for trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people. Their employment resources page includes guides for workers to advocate within their organization for inclusive benefits and policies, as well as information for people who have experienced discrimination.

7. Out & Equal Workplace Advocates

Out & Equal focuses on LGBTQ+ workplace equality, partnering with businesses like Fortune 500 companies. Their toolkits are valuable resources for advocating for LGBTQ+ policies and resources within your organization, and they have recently launched a global initiative featuring LGBTQ+ inclusion programs in Argentina, Brazil, China, and India.

  1. Please note that all of the resources listed in this post are based in the United States; for international resources, please visit the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA) website. ↩