LGBTQ People’s Experiences of Workplace Discrimination and Harassment

UCLA Other Recent Work

• Title: LGBTQ People’s Experiences of Workplace Discrimination and Harassment
• Permalink: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/45c9q04k
• Authors: Sears, Brad Castleberry, Neko Lin, Andy et al.
• Publication Date: 2024-08-27
• Data Availability: The data associated with this publication are not available for this reason: Licensing restrictions eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California

LGBTQ People’s Experiences of Workplace Discrimination and Harassment - 2023 August 2024

• Authors: Brad Sears, Neko Michelle Castleberry, Andy Lin, Christy Mallory
• Research that Matters

Contents

• Executive Summary
• Results
• Demographics
• Lifetime Experiences of Discrimination and Harassment
• Recent Experiences of Discrimination and Harassment
• Experiences at Current Job
• Avoiding Discrimination and Harassment
• Out at Work
• Covering
• Impact of Discrimination and Harassment on Employee Retention
• Conclusion
• Authors
• Appendix
• Methods
• Tables

Executive Summary

• Over 8 million workers in the U.S. identify as LGBTQ.
• Employment discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity have been widely documented.
• Recent research has found that LGBTQ people continue to face mistreatment in the workplace, even after the U.S. Supreme Court held in 2020 that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
• Experiences of workplace discrimination and harassment negatively impact employees’ health and well-being, as well as their job commitment, satisfaction, and productivity. These primary effects can, in turn, result in higher costs and other negative outcomes for employers.
• This report examines experiences of discrimination and harassment against LGBTQ employees using a survey of 1,902 LGBTQ adults in the workforce conducted in the summer of 2023. It is based on a similar study published by the Williams Institute in 2021.
• This report examines the lifetime, five-year, and past-year workplace experiences of LGBTQ employees. It compares the experiences of transgender and nonbinary (TNB) employees to those of cisgender LGBQ employees, LGBTQ employees of color to those of White LGBTQ employees, and LGBTQ employees who are out to at least someone in the workplace compared to those who are out to no one.
• Almost half (47%) of LGBTQ employees reported experiencing discrimination or harassment at work because of their sexual orientation or gender identity during their lifetime. Notably, across all six primary measures of lifetime experiences of discrimination and harassment, TNB employees reported higher rates than cisgender employees, people of color reported higher rates than White employees, and those who were out reported higher rates than those who were out to no one in the workplace.
• 17% of LGBTQ employees reported that they experienced discrimination or harassment within the past year. TNB employees were more than twice as likely as cisgender LGBQ employees to report experiencing discrimination (22% vs. 9%) or harassment (26% vs. 10%) in the past year. LGBTQ employees of color were also approximately twice as likely to experience discrimination (15% vs 7%) and harassment (16% vs. 9%) in the past year compared to White LGBTQ employees.
• Many employees also reported engaging in behaviors to avoid discrimination and harassment, including hiding their LGBTQ identity and changing their physical appearance. Nearly half (46%) of LGBTQ employees said that they are not open about being LGBTQ to their current supervisor, and one-fifth (21%) are not out to any of their coworkers.
• LGBTQ employees who were out to at least a few coworkers and/or their supervisor were three times more likely to report experiencing discrimination (39% vs. 12%) and more than twice as likely to report harassment (42% vs. 17%) than those who were not out to anyone at work. LGBTQ employees who were out to at least someone in the workplace were four times more likely to have experienced discrimination in the past year (12% vs 3%).
• More than half of LGBTQ employees (58%) reported engaging in covering behaviors at their current job to avoid harassment or discrimination related to sexual orientation or gender identity. Some employees even left their jobs or considered leaving because of unfair treatment. One-third (33%) reported that they had left a job at some point in their lives because of how their employer treated them based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Key Findings

• Lifetime Experiences:
  • One-third of LGBTQ employees (34%) reported experiencing at least one form of employment discrimination (including being fired, not hired, or not promoted).
  • 37% of LGBTQ employees reported experiencing at least one form of harassment at work due to their sexual orientation or gender identity at some point in their lives.
  • Discrimination:
    • About one in five LGBTQ employees reported being fired (21%), not hired (23%), and/or not promoted (22%) because of their sexual orientation or gender identity at some point in their lives.
    • More than half of TNB employees (55%) reported experiencing discrimination compared to 31% of cisgender LGBQ employees.
    • LGBTQ employees of color (42%) were more likely to report experiencing discrimination than White employees (27%).
  • Harassment:
    • Thirty percent of LGBTQ employees reported experiencing verbal harassment at work because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
    • One in five (22%) LGBTQ employees reported sexual harassment, and one in six (16%) reported physical harassment at work because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
    • More than half of TNB employees (57%) reported at least one form of harassment compared to about one-third of cisgender LGBQ employees (35%).
  • Unfair Treatment:
    • About one-third of LGBTQ employees (35%) reported being treated unfairly at work because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
    • More than half of TNB employees (55%) reported being treated unfairly compared to one-third of cisgender employees (33%).
• Recent Experiences:
  • LGBTQ people continue to experience workplace discrimination and harassment, even after the U.S. Supreme Court extended LGBTQ protections from sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination nationwide in Bostock v. Clayton County.
  • Twenty-two percent of LGBTQ employees said they had experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity within the past five years; an additional 11% said they had these experiences over five years ago.
  • 24% of LGBTQ employees experienced harassment within the past five years; an additional 14% said they had these experiences over five years ago.
  • Eleven percent of LGBTQ employees said they experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity within the past year, and 12% experienced harassment within the past year.
  • TNB employees and LGBTQ employees of color were more likely to experience recent discrimination and harassment than cisgender LGBQ employees and White LGBTQ employees.
    • TNB employees were more than twice as likely as cisgender LGBQ employees to report experiencing discrimination (22% vs. 9%) or harassment (26% vs. 10%) in the past year.
    • LGBTQ employees of color were more likely to experience discrimination (15% vs 7%) and harassment (16% vs. 9%) in the past year compared to White LGBTQ employees.
• Workplace Culture:
  • Almost three-quarters (72%) of LGBTQ employees reported that they heard negative comments, slurs, or jokes about LGBTQ people at work at some point in their lives.
  • More than half of LGBTQ employees (57%) reported hearing negative comments at work within the past five years; over one-third (36%) reported hearing negative comments within the past year.
  • More than half of TNB employees (53%) reported hearing negative comments in the past year compared to a third of cisgender LGBQ employees (34%).
• Experiences at Current Job:
  • About one-quarter of LGBTQ employees (24%) reported one or more adverse workplace experiences related to their sexual orientation or gender identity at their current job.
  • These experiences included being verbally harassed, physically harassed, sexually harassed, being denied a promotion or other opportunities, or being treated unfairly at work based on their LGBTQ status.
  • Both TNB employees (32%) and LGBTQ employees of color (29% vs. 20%) were more likely to report one or more adverse workplace experiences related to their sexual orientation or gender identity at their current job compared to cisgender LGBQ employees (23%) and White LGBTQ employees (20%).
• Out at Work:
  • Many LGBTQ people avoid discrimination and harassment in the workplace by not being out to their supervisors and coworkers.
  • Nearly half (46%) of LGBTQ employees said that they are not open about being LGBTQ to their current supervisor, and one-fifth (21%) are not out to any of their coworkers.
  • LGBTQ employees who were out to at least a few coworkers and/or their supervisor were three times as likely to report experiencing discrimination (39% vs. 12%) and more than twice as likely to report harassment (42% vs. 17%) because of their sexual orientation or gender identity as LGBTQ employees who were not out to anyone at work.
  • LGBTQ employees who were out to at least some coworkers and/or their supervisor were four times more likely to have experienced discrimination in the past year than employees who were not out (12% vs 3%).
  • LGBTQ employees who were out at work were also more likely to have experienced verbal harassment (35% vs. 11%), physical harassment (19% vs. 5%), or sexual harassment (25% vs. 10%) at work at some point in their lives compared to LGBTQ employees who were not out.
• Covering:
  • More than half of LGBTQ employees (58%) reported engaging in “covering” behaviors in order to avoid harassment or discrimination at work, including changing their physical appearance; changing when, where, or how frequently they used the bathroom; and avoiding talking about their families or social lives at work.
  • TNB employees were significantly more likely to engage in covering behaviors than cisgender LGBQ employees.
    • TNB employees were twice as likely as cisgender LGBQ employees to report changing their voice or mannerisms (40% vs. 20%); their physical appearance (36% vs. 17%); how they dress at work (36% vs. 17%); and where, when, or how frequently they used a bathroom (27% vs 10%, respectively).
• Retention:
  • One-third (33%) of LGBTQ employees reported that they had left a job at some point in their lives because of how they were treated by their employer based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. In the past year, 6% reported leaving a job due to personal treatment.
  • Due to the workplace environment at their current job, 15% of LGBTQ employees have considered leaving.
  • TNB employees were four times as likely to report that they left a job (20% vs. 5%) within the past year due to personal treatment compared to cisgender LGBQ employees.
    • TNB employees were also more likely to report that they have considered leaving their current jobs due to an unsupportive environment for LGBTQ people compared to cisgender employees (24% vs. 13%).
  • Nine percent of LGBTQ employees of color reported having left a job in the past year due to personal treatment compared to 5% of White LGBTQ employees.
    • LGBTQ employees of color were also more likely to have considered leaving their current jobs due to an unsupportive environment for LGBTQ people than White LGBTQ employees (18% vs. 11%).

Results

Demographics

• 1,902 LGBTQ adults in the workforce responded to the survey in July 2023.
• 50% of respondents were under 35, and 70% were under 45.
• 11% of respondents identified as transgender or nonbinary.
• Most respondents identified as bisexual (60%), while 37% identified as lesbian or gay, and less than 3% identified as something else, “not sure,” or straight.
• 46% of respondents identified as people of color, including 11% as Black and 26% as Latinx.
• Over half of respondents (53%) were living with a spouse, legally recognized partner, or unmarried partner. Of those, 54% identified their partner as male, 38% as female, and 7% as transgender (3%) or nonbinary (4%).
• 56% of respondents did not have a bachelor’s degree, and 50% were making less than $50,000 a year, with 18% making less than $25,000 a year. 16% were making $100,000 or more a year.
• Almost all respondents were currently working (97%), with two-thirds (67%) working in the private sector. 11% were working for the government or military, and 8% were working in the non-profit sector.
• The distribution of LGBTQ respondents reflected that of the general population of the United States.

• This report compares:
  • Transgender and nonbinary (TNB) employees to cisgender LGBQ employees
  • LGBTQ employees of color to White LGBTQ employees
  • LGBTQ employees who are out to at least someone in the workplace to those who are not out to anyone in the workplace
• Demographic differences to keep in mind:
  • TNB vs. cisgender LGBQ employees:
    • TNB employees are younger,
    • Less likely to have education beyond a Bachelor’s degree
    • Have lower annual incomes
  • LGBTQ employees of color vs. White LGBTQ employees:
    • LGBTQ employees of color are younger
    • More likely to live in the Southwest and less likely to live in the Midwest.
  • LGBTQ employees who are out to at least someone in the workplace vs. those who are not out to anyone:
    • LGBTQ employees who are not out to anyone in the workplace are more likely to identify as bisexual and less likely to identify as gay or lesbian than those who are out to at least someone at work (supervisor and/or coworkers).

Lifetime Experiences of Discrimination and Harassment

• Nearly half of LGBTQ employees (47%) reported that they experienced employment discrimination or harassment because of their sexual orientation or gender identity at some point in their lives.
• Types of discrimination:
  • Being fired
  • Not hired
  • Not promoted
• Types of harassment:
  • Verbal
  • Physical
  • Sexual
• 34% of LGBTQ employees reported experiencing at least one form of employment discrimination (being fired, not hired, or not promoted) because of their sexual orientation or gender identity at some point in their lives.
  • 21% - Fired
  • 23% - Not hired
  • 22% - Not promoted
• 37% of LGBTQ employees reported experiencing at least one form of harassment at work at some point in their lives.
  • 30% - Verbal harassment
  • 16% - Physical harassment
  • 22% - Sexual harassment
• TNB employees reported higher rates of experiencing discrimination or harassment because of their sexual orientation or gender identity compared to cisgender LGBQ employees (68% vs. 45%).
  • 55% of TNB employees reported some form of discrimination vs. 31% of cisgender LGBQ employees.
  • TNB employees were more likely to report each form of discrimination than cisgender LGBQ employees, including:
    • Fired (35% vs. 20%)
    • Not hired (38% vs. 21%)
    • Not promoted (36% vs. 20%)
  • 57% of TNB employees reported some form of harassment vs. 35% of cisgender LGBQ employees.
  • TNB employees were more likely to report experiencing each form of harassment than cisgender LGBQ employees, including:
    • Verbal harassment (50% vs. 28%)
    • Physical harassment (26% vs. 15%)
    • Sexual harassment (35% vs. 20%)
• LGBTQ employees of color were also more likely to report experiencing discrimination and harassment at work due to their sexual orientation or gender identity compared to White LGBTQ employees.
  • LGBTQ employees of color were more likely to report experiencing at least one form of discrimination than White employees (42% vs. 27%).
    • LGBTQ employees of color were more likely than White LGBTQ employees to report being:
      • Fired (28% vs. 15%)
      • Not hired (30% vs. 17%)
      • Not promoted (27% vs. 18%)
  • LGBTQ employees of color were also more likely to report experiencing at least one form of harassment compared to White LGBTQ employees (42% vs. 33%), including:
    • Verbal harassment (35% vs. 26%)
    • Physical harassment (20% vs. 13%)
    • Sexual harassment (25% vs. 19%)
• 35% of LGBTQ employees reported being treated unfairly at work because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • TNB employees (55%) were more likely to report being treated unfairly than cisgender LGBQ employees (33%).
  • LGBTQ employees of color (40%) reported being treated unfairly at work compared to White LGBTQ employees (31%).
• Most LGBTQ employees (72%) reported hearing negative comments, slurs, or jokes about LGBTQ people at work.
  • TNB employees were more likely to report hearing negative comments about LGBTQ people than cisgender LGBQ employees (84% vs. 71%).

Recent Experiences of Discrimination and Harassment

• LGBTQ employees continue to experience discrimination even after the U.S. Supreme Court held in Bostock v. Clayton County that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity are forms of sex discrimination prohibited by Title VII.
• Decision extended non-discrimination protections to LGBTQ employees nationwide as of June 2020.10
• More than one in ten LGBTQ employees said they experienced discrimination (11%) or harassment (12%) within the past year due to their sexual orientation or gender identity; 22% reported experiencing discrimination, and 24% reported experiencing harassment at work within the past five years.
• TNB employees were more than twice as likely as cisgender LGBQ employees to report experiencing discrimination based on their LGBTQ status in the past year (22% vs. 9%). More specifically, TNB employees were more likely than cisgender LGBQ employees to report not being hired (14% vs. 5%), not being promoted (11% vs. 5%), and being fired (7% vs. 5%) within the past year based on their LGBTQ status.
• TNB employees were also more than twice as likely to report experiencing harassment in the past year compared to cisgender employees (26% vs. 10%). More specifically, TNB employees were three times as likely to report verbal harassment (21% vs. 7%), twice as likely to report physical harassment (8% vs. 4%), and more than twice as likely to report sexual harassment (13% vs. 5%) in the past year based on their LGBTQ status.
• LGBTQ employees of color were more likely to report recent experiences of discrimination or harassment based on their LGBTQ status than White LGBTQ employees.
  • Twice as many LGBTQ employees of color reported experiencing at least one form of employment discrimination within the past year as White LGBTQ employees (15% vs. 7%).
    • LGBTQ employees of color were twice as likely to report being fired (7% vs 3%), not hired (9% vs. 4%), or not promoted (8% vs. 4%) in the past year based on their LGBTQ status compared to White LGBTQ employees.
  • LGBTQ employees of color were more likely to report experiencing at least one form of harassment at work within the past year compared to White LGBTQ employees (16% vs. 9%).
    • LGBTQ employees of color were more likely than White LGBTQ employees to report experiencing verbal harassment (11% vs. 7%), physical harassment (6% vs. 3%), or sexual harassment (7% vs. 4%) based on their LGBTQ status in the past year.
• 12% of LGBTQ employees reported being treated unfairly at work based on their sexual orientation or gender identity within the past year, and 22% reported being treated unfairly within the past five years.
  • 25% of TNB employees reported being treated unfairly in the past year compared to 10% of cisgender LGBQ employees.
  • LGBTQ employees of color were twice as likely as White LGBTQ employees to report being treated unfairly at work within the past year (16% vs. 8%).
• Over one-third of LGBTQ employees (36%) reported hearing negative comments, slurs, or jokes about LGBTQ people at work in the past year, and 57% reported hearing negative comments within the past five years.
  • TNB employees were more likely to have heard negative comments about LGBTQ people in the past year compared to cisgender LGBQ employees (53% vs. 34%).

Experiences at Current Job

• Approximately two-thirds of LGBTQ employees (65%) felt that their current workplace environment was somewhat or very supportive of LGBTQ people, while 12% felt their workplace environment was somewhat or very unsupportive of LGBTQ people.
• Though nearly three-quarters of LGBTQ employees (72%) felt somewhat or very satisfied with their current job, 14% were somewhat or very dissatisfied with their current job.
• At their current job, about one-quarter of LGBTQ employees (24%) reported one or more adverse workplace experiences related to their sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • These adverse experiences included:
    • Being treated unfairly (16%)
    • Being verbally harassed (11%)
    • Being denied a promotion or other opportunities in the workplace (8%)
    • Being sexually harassed (6%)
    • Being physically harassed or assaulted (2%).
• TNB employees were more likely to report adverse workplace experiences related to their sexual orientation or gender identity at their current job compared to cisgender LGBQ employees (32% vs. 23%).
  • TNB employees were more likely to report being treated unfairly (23%) or verbally harassed (18%) at their current job compared to cisgender LGBQ employees (15% and 10%, respectively).
• LGBTQ employees of color were also more likely to report adverse experiences related to their sexual orientation or gender identity compared to White LGBTQ employees (29% vs. 20%).
  • LGBTQ employees of color were more than twice as likely as White LGBTQ employees to have been physically harassed or assaulted (4% vs. 1%) or denied a promotion or other opportunities (12% vs. 5%) at their current job.

Avoiding Discrimination and Harassment

• LGBTQ employees often take steps to avoid experiencing discrimination and harassment.
  • LGBTQ employees may not be out to their supervisors or coworkers.
  • Even if they are out, LGBTQ employees may downplay their sexual orientation or gender identity at work, including by not talking about their personal lives with coworkers and changing their appearance to conform to gender norms.
  • Engaging in these behaviors, sometimes referred to as “covering,” can be a source of stress for LGBTQ people and negatively impact their health and well-being.

Out at Work

• 46% of LGBTQ employees reported that they are not out about their sexual orientation or gender identity to their current supervisor, and one-fifth (21%) reported not being out to any of their coworkers.
• One-third of LGBTQ employees (33%) reported being out to all their coworkers.
• Not being out, in full or in part, is a way that many LGBTQ employees protect themselves from discrimination and harassment.
• LGBTQ employees who were out to at least a few coworkers and/or their supervisor were more likely to report experiencing discrimination (39% vs. 12%) because of their sexual orientation or gender identity as LGBTQ employees who were not out to anyone at work.
• About one-quarter of LGBTQ employees who were out reported being:
  • Fired (25%)
  • Not hired (27%)
  • Not promoted (25%)
• At some point in their lives because of their LGBTQ status compared to less than one in ten LGBTQ employees who were not out (6%, 8%, and 8% respectively).
• LGBTQ employees who were out at work were also more likely to report experiencing at least one form of harassment compared to those who were not out (42% vs. 17%), including:
  • Verbal harassment (35% vs. 11%)
  • Physical harassment (19% vs. 5%)
  • Sexual harassment (25% vs. 10%)
• LGBTQ employees who were out to at least some coworkers and/or their supervisor were also more likely to have recent experiences of discrimination and harassment.
• Four times as many LGBTQ employees who were out reported experiencing at least one form of employment discrimination within the past year as those who were not out (12% vs. 3%).
• LGBTQ employees who were out were more likely to report being:
  • Fired (6% vs 1%)
  • Not hired (7% vs. 1%)
  • Not promoted (7% vs. 2%)
• In the past year based on their LGBTQ status compared to those who were not out.
• LGBTQ employees who were out were more than twice as likely to report being verbally harassed (12%) at their current jobs compared to those who were not out (5%).

Covering

• LGBTQ people and others with marginalized identities often adjust their behavior and conduct in order to avoid bringing attention to a stigmatized trait—a process that has been called “covering” by law professor Kenji Yoshino.
• Covering is not necessarily the same as concealing LGBTQ status.
• LGBTQ people who are open about their sexual orientation and gender identity may still engage in covering behaviors in order to minimize their LGBTQ identity.
• Most LGBTQ employees (58%) reported engaging in covering behaviors at their current jobs to avoid harassment or discrimination related to their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• These behaviors included taking steps to change their:
  • Voice or mannerisms (22%)
  • Physical appearance (19%)
  • The way they dress (19%)
  • Where, when, or how frequently they used the bathroom (12%).
• LGBTQ employees also reported avoiding:
  • Socializing with coworkers outside of work (32%)
  • Going to work-related events or travel (21%)
• At their current jobs in order to avoid discrimination and harassment.
• 36% avoided talking about their social lives, and 29% avoided talking about their significant other or family with coworkers.
• About one-quarter of LGBTQ employees have not displayed photos of their partner or family at work (24%) or have not brought family to work events to avoid discrimination and harassment (23%).
• Covering behaviors related to how employees present themselves at work were significantly more common among TNB employees compared to cisgender LGBQ employees, many cisgender employees engage in these covering strategies as well.
  • TNB employees were twice as likely to report changing their:
    • Voice or mannerisms (40% vs. 20%)
    • Physical appearance (36% vs. 17%)
    • How they dress at work (36% vs. 17%)
  • Over one-quarter of TNB employees (27%) reported changing where, when, or how frequently they used a bathroom compared to 10% of cisgender LGBQ employees.
• LGBTQ employees of color reported engaging in covering behaviors in order to avoid discrimination or harassment based on their LGBTQ status at work more often than White LGBTQ employees.
  • LGBTQ employees of color were more likely to say that they had changed their:
    • Voice or mannerisms (29% vs. 17%)
    • How they dress at work (24% vs. 16%)
    • Physical appearance (24% vs. 16%)
    • Where, when, or how frequently they used a bathroom (16% vs. 9%)
  • LGBTQ employees of color were more likely than White LGBTQ employees to report avoiding:
    • Work-related events or travel (25% vs. 17%)
    • Socializing with coworkers outside of work (36% vs. 29%)
    • Talking about their significant other or family with coworkers (31% vs. 26%)
• LGBTQ employees of color were also more likely to report not displaying photos of their partner or family at work (28% vs. 20%) or not bringing family to work events (26% vs. 20%) compared to White LGBTQ employees.

Impact of Discrimination and Harassment on Employee Retention

• Discrimination and harassment, or fear of those experiences, negatively affect the well-being of employees, which, in turn, can negatively impact employers. Decades of research have linked unsupportive workplace environments for LGBTQ people to poorer health, decreased job satisfaction, and decreased job commitment, among other negative outcomes.
• One-third (33%) of LGBTQ employees reported that they had left a job at some point in their lives because of how they were treated by their employer based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• 36% of LGBTQ employees reported that they have ever looked for another job because of how they were personally treated due to their LGBTQ status, and 39% reported that they have ever looked for another job due to the workplace environment for LGBTQ people in general.
• TNB employees were more likely to report ever leaving a job because of how they were personally treated due to their LGBTQ status than cisgender LGBQ employees (57% vs. 31%).
  • About 60% of TNB employees reported looking for a job at some point due to personal treatment (62%) or the workplace environment for LGBTQ people in general (59%) compared to 32% and 36% of cisgender LGBQ employees, respectively.
• LGBTQ employees of color were more likely to report ever leaving a job because of how they were personally treated due to their LGBTQ status compared to White LGBTQ employees (39% vs. 30%).
  • LGBTQ employees of color were also more likely than White LGBTQ employees to report looking for a job at some point due to personal treatment (39% vs. 32%) or the workplace environment for LGBTQ people in general (42% vs. 36%).
• 6% of LGBTQ employees reported leaving a job in the past year because of how their employer treated them based on their LGBTQ status; 19% reported leaving a job in the past five years.
• About one in ten reported looking for a job due to their workplace environment (12%) or personal treatment in the workplace (9%) in the past year.
• In the past five years, 23% of LGBTQ employees reported looking for a job due to personal treatment, and 26% reported looking for a job due to the workplace environment.
• TNB employees were more likely to report recently leaving a job or looking for a new job than cisgender employees.
  • Four times as many TNB employees reported that they left a job (20% vs. 5%) or looked for a job (28% vs. 7%) in the past year due to personal treatment in their workplace compared to cisgender employees.
  • TNB employees were more than twice as likely to report looking for a job in the past year due to their workplace environment than cisgender employees (28% vs. 10%).
• LGBTQ employees of color were also more likely to report recently leaving a job or looking for a new job compared to White LGBTQ employees.
  • Nine percent of LGBTQ employees of color reported leaving a job in the past year due to personal treatment compared to 5% of White LGBTQ employees.
  • LGBTQ employees of color were also more likely to report looking for a job in the past year due to workplace environment than White LGBTQ employees (14% vs. 9%).
• Many LGBTQ employees also reported that they have considered leaving their current jobs and have looked for other jobs due to the workplace environment for LGBTQ people.
  • Due to the workplace environment at their current job, 15% of LGBTQ employees have considered leaving.
  • TNB employees were more likely to report that they have considered leaving their current job due to an unsupportive environment for LGBTQ people compared to cisgender employees (24% vs. 13%), and LGBTQ employees of color were more likely to have considered leaving than White LGBTQ employees (18% vs. 11%).
• Of those who considered leaving due to the workplace environment at their current job, more than two-thirds (68%) said that they have looked for other jobs.
  • LGBTQ employees of color were more likely to report that they have looked for other jobs compared to White LGBTQ employees (73% vs. 61%).

Conclusion

• LGBTQ employees continue to face discrimination and harassment at work, especially TNB employees and LGBTQ employees of color.
• This discrimination is ongoing, with 11% of LGBTQ employees saying that they had been fired, not hired, or not promoted because of their sexual orientation or gender identity within the past year.
• LGBTQ employees of color were twice as likely to have experienced employment discrimination within the past year compared to White LGBTQ employees.
• Twenty-two percent of TNB employees reported experiencing discrimination in the past year, more than double cisgender LGBQ employees.
• Fear of discrimination and harassment can lead employees to engage in behaviors to hide who they are at work.
• Less than half of employees were not out about being LGBTQ to their supervisors, and one-fifth were not out to any of their coworkers.
• Over half of LGBTQ employees reported that they have changed how they present themselves at work or have avoided talking about their lives and their families to avoid discrimination and harassment based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Both TNB and LGBTQ employees of color were significantly more likely to report these “covering” behaviors than cisgender LGBQ and White LGBTQ employees.
• Discrimination and harassment negatively impact both employees and employers.
• One-third of employees said they had left a job because of how they were personally treated based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• 15% of LGBTQ employees said that they have considered leaving their current jobs because of the workplace environment for LGBTQ people.
• TNB employees and LGBTQ employees of color were more likely to say that they have considered leaving their current jobs due to the workplace environment than cisgender LGBQ employees and White LGBTQ employees.

Authors

• Brad Sears, J.D., is the David Sanders Distinguished Scholar of Law and Policy and Founding Executive Director at the Williams Institute. He