• It can be challenging to come out as transgender or nonbinary in the workplace — this process can become even more fraught if there are no guidelines to support a trans or nonbinary colleague. 
  • The Trans Journalists Association (TJA), a newly formed professional networking group, has released a checklist to help employers develop a safe environment for workers of underrepresented genders.
  • Updating names on IDs, having a point of contact for a transitioning employee, and offering trans-inclusive training for colleagues are some of the many tips companies can use to foster a supportive work environment.
  • Business Insider is launching a newsletter on gender identity and career success. Sign up here to receive Gender at Work in your inbox.
  •  Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

It can be challenging to come out as trans or nonbinary at work if there are few or no systems of support.

But a newly formed professional organization hopes to change that.

The Trans Journalists Association (TJA), a professional workplace club for people of marginalized genders, has recently created an office transition guide to help companies provide an inclusive space for their transgender and nonbinary employees. Transgender is an umbrella term for a person whose gender differs from their sex assigned at birth; a nonbinary person is someone who does not identify as exclusively male or female.

"The majority of businesses in the US don't know what to do when they have a trans employee," Oliver-Ash Kleine, a founding member of the group, told Business Insider. Kleine is one of 15 members who created the plan. Kleine formerly worked for Mother Jones and is a founding producer of the company's podcast.

"Businesses right now need to be moving in such a way that a workplace is already trans-friendly before a trans person comes into it," Kleine said.

Studies show that trans and nonbinary colleagues are more likely to experience discrimination in the workplace. This includes being denied a promotion, and even being fired because of their gender, according to a US Transgender Survey from 2015, which is the most recent data available.

"If you're not actually letting folks bring their full selves and their breadth of experiences and perspectives, then you're limiting your employee and you're limiting your business," Kleine said.

Having these resources available are critical for retaining and attracting a diverse workforce, said Abigail Hadfield, a copy editor and writer at Harvard Public Affairs and Communications. Hadfield also copy-edited TJA's guide.

You can read the full guide from the TJA at this link to foster a trans-inclusive workplace. The questions below have been reprinted with the TJA's permission.

Questions for the employer

Whether someone comes out as trans or nonbinary during an interview, onboarding process, or after working at a company for several years, organizations should ask themselves these questions to make sure they're prepared to welcome them.

  1. Who is the transitioning employee's point of contact? Someone in HR? Elsewhere?
  2. Who will be involved in implementing an employee's transition plan? This should include the employee, the employee's direct supervisor, an HR representative, and anyone else who will be involved (per employee's comfort and permission). 
  3. Who, if anyone, would have access to records or information containing former names and legal names? Employees should be made aware of this. 
  4. Does the newsroom owner have relevant policies and procedures that guide or constrain the newsroom's policies? This may be relevant if the newsroom is owned by a university or larger media conglomerate. 
  5. How familiar are points of contact expected to be with newsroom policies around transgender issues? How will they be trained, and how will they stay informed after initial trainings? 
  6. How will employees know about newsroom policies related to transgender status?
    1. This includes but is not limited to policies regarding bathroom use, employment rights, and how to report harassment or discrimination. It also includes transgender health care coverage in newsroom medical plans.
  7. Who does the employee need to meet with? Most employees will likely need to consult their immediate supervisor after discussing social transition plans with HR or another primary point person. An employee may desire a larger meeting to inform others of their transition. 
  8. What records need to be updated for employees? How and when will those changes be made? Can they be made?
    1. Consider headshots, newsroom email ID, online display names, press badges, name plates, HR logins, and bylines. If the newsroom is affiliated with a larger conglomerate, there may be systems that can't be changed without a formal request to a technology department.
    2. Employers should ensure all name changes, photographs, and other documents are updated in advance of any announcement, unless the employee prefers a different timeline.
  9. What sort of social, medical, and disability leave are available to transitioning employees? Who will communicate with the employee about any relevant leave programs and how to qualify? These programs vary by state laws and by workplace. 
  10. Who will notify management of the employee's transition so that newsroom leaders can model appropriate pronouns, names and behavior?
  11. What training will be given to coworkers?
  12. How will management respond to coworkers or colleagues disrespecting employees based on their transgender status? How will management respond to colleagues who refuse to use the appropriate names and pronouns for transitioning employees? How will employees be made aware of relevant anti-harassment and nondiscrimination laws?
  13. How will management respond to harassment or discrimination against transgender employees originating from outside the newsroom? Do existing newsroom policies include transgender reporters when stipulating how to handle harassment at events, while reporting, or on social media? 

Questions for the employee

Regardless of whether you are full-time or in the early stages of the hiring process, it's important for trans and nonbinary employees to imagine what their coming out will look like in the office.

Reflecting on the questions below can help your employer know exactly how to support you.

  • When will the social transition in the office formally occur? This means the date that the employee will change their name and pronouns. They may also start using a different restroom/locker room, if they have not already been using the facilities most appropriate for their gender identity. 
  • How and in what format should coworkers be made aware of someone's new name and pronouns, if relevant?
  • Would they prefer to announce new names and pronouns to relevant coworkers or communicate the information one-on-one? 
  • Would they prefer to announce new names and pronouns themselves or have a supervisor communicate relevant information in a meeting or via email?