Assessing the LGBT Temperature of a New Workplace

Many of us find ourselves on the job hunt and suddenly faced with determining how LGBT-friendly new employers are. There are obvious things to consider, but also questions that can be asked during the interview process to determine whether this new employer is the right “fit.” Even for those who chose not to be “out” during a job interview, it’s important to find an employer that will be supportive and responsible to LGBT employees.

One place to start is doing some homework before the interview. Check out the employer to find out what their reputation is, what kinds of benefits they have, and whether their commitment to LGBT employees is a public commitment.

If you are looking at large employers, one place to turn is the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index and related guides to employers. The listing only includes larger employers, but the recent report found a number of media companies were given top ratings. The index evaluates employers based on (1) equal employment opportunity, including gender identity or expressions; (2) employment benefits; (3) organizational LGBT competency; (4) public commitment; and (5) responsible citizenship.

Those receiving a perfect score include:

Clear Channel Communications Inc.
Cox Enterprises Inc.
Time Warner Inc.
Viacom Inc.
Walt Disney Co.
New York Times Co.
United Business Media LLC

Other Media Companies Included in the Survey:

Comcast Corp. 95
SIRIUS XM Radio Inc. 80
McGraw-Hill 80
General Electric 80
Thomson Reuters 75
Pearson Inc. 75
Gannett Co. Inc. 65
Scholastic Corp. 50

If your future employer is not on that list, your task becomes a little more difficult. You can investigate on the employer’s website whether there is a non-discrimination policy listed in the Human Resources section. If the statement says “complies with federal and state laws,” then it is important to determine whether you work in a jurisdiction where you are covered by state laws that penalize discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. It is also important to determine—especially if you are working for a small employer (less than 25 employees)—whether the employer is even covered by the laws.

There is also the question of domestic partner benefits. If you do not live in a state where same-sex marriage is legal, the only way you may qualify for spousal benefits is through a domestic partner program. A good question to ask—and a great way to “break the ice” in determining LGBT friendliness—is to ask about these benefits. What does it take to qualify? Do they exist at all?

Sometimes, this kind of “temperature taking” involves some risks. If you ask these kinds of questions during an interview process, you are probably “outing” yourself, to some extent. The flip-side, however, is that if asking these question is a dealbreaker for the employer, is that really the kind of employer you want to work for.

But the questions are important to ask, because you may be surprised by the response. I once interviewed for a top management job at a law firm and my investigation found that sexual orientation was not listed on the company’s non-discrimination policy or recruiting brochures. Since my job was human resources related, I decided to ask about that in my interview with the potential boss.

Her response was embarrassment. The law firm represented a well-known client who was involved in a nationwide scandal and the client and law firm had been getting threats for being too “gay.” So, to protect the client, they changed the public information on their website. I pressed her on how this might impact recruiting—for both LGBT and non-LGBT employees looking for a progressive employer—and she conceded that it was a concern that was being addressed at the top of the organization. On the internal information, sexual orientation and gender identity were included in the non-discrimination policy, domestic partner benefits were available, and she was a lesbian herself. And I got another interview.

Now that’s an unusual situation and I’m still not convinced that their approach was the best way to deal with the problem, especially since I do think it hindered their recruiting ability. But it shows that sometimes you need to ask and that the public persona may not reflect the internal environment.

Of course, that can work the other way around. Very LGBT-friendly employers to the public may not necessarily be the best places to work and are no guarantee that everything will be smooth sailing, but those policies and reputations can provide a starting-point.

By Michael Triplett