Asking Members of Congress about their support for inclusive ENDA

On the right side of this blog, there is a widget giving you an opportunity to ask the US Congress a question about their support for an inclusive ENDA. Click on "View More" to see the question, then click on "Vote" to add your voice to those requesting an answer. If enough votes are received, AskYourLawmaker.org will pose the question to all Members of Congress. The answers will show up in the widget, and you can check back to see how your Representatives answered the question. [The widget has been removed from this site. Go to AskYourLawmaker.org to see the Inclusive ENDA Question.]

Federal Bill on Employment Non-Discrimination Moving Forward

The Washington Blade this morning has an interview of Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts discussing the planned re-introduction of ENDA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, next month. The article suggests that the new bill will include not only "sexual orientation" as a protected category, but that it would also include the "gender identity" provision that would protect employees from discrimination based on non-conformity to gendered stereotypes of identity and expression. In the last introduction of that bill in 2007, "gender identity" was originally included, but was later removed into a separate bill because it appeared to some in Congress that there was insufficient support for its inclusion. This move was very controversial within the LGBT community.

The section of the article discussing ENDA is available by clicking here.

In a hopeful sign, Congressman Frank said he expects congressional hearings on ENDA before the measure sees a vote because lawmakers must still be educated on the bill’s gender identity provisions. This suggests that Congressional Democrats are now more committed to the necessary education efforts than at the time of the last introduction. While hearings were held on the issue of "gender identity" last time, they were held only after "gender identity" protection was stripped from the bill.

The politics and legal interpretation of ENDA are very complex. I will write a series of articles over the next weeks and months to highlight specific issues crucial to an understanding of this bill. These issues include the following:

• How should gender identity be defined?
• Does "gender identity" language protect employees other than transgender people?
• What are the scope of the exemptions from coverage included in the bill?
• Who supports ENDA, and why?
• Who opposes ENDA, and why?
• What education do Members of Congress need?
• What should I tell my Congressperson?
• How will the relationship between transgender advocates and the wider LGBT advocacy community play out in this go-round?
• What has been the experience of organizations in jurisdictions with current gender identity protections?
• What types of issues have come up with transgender workers in the workplace?
• Is ENDA beneficial, detrimental, or neutral for the organizations that it covers?

ENDA is something that all human resources people should be aware of, whether pro or con. I hope to provide some useful contribution to that education.

New Dates for Free Diversity Webinar for Government and Education Officials on Transgender Issues in the Workplace

Due to overwhelming demand by government agencies and higher education officials, new dates have been scheduled for free webinars on transgender issues in the workplace. A webinar for government agency personnel will be held on Wednesday, May 27, 2009, from 12 to 1 p.m. (ET). A webinar for higher education personnel will be held on Wednesday, June 3, 2009, from 12 to 1p.m. (ET). Again, attendance is limited to 20 on a first come, first serve basis. These webinars will be specifically directed towards the particular environments encountered in government and in higher education. If you work in government or higher education, and you are interested, please see the information below "How to Register." If you have already been registered, there is no need to re-register.


Please feel free to forward this information to government and education professionals you think might be interested.

How to Register

Please email your name, title, organization name, street address and email address to jtwassociates@gmail.com. You will be issued an invitation to the webinar by email via dimdim.com, along with instructions for accessing the site. You should check your spam filter to ensure that the email can be received. Attendance is limited to 20 on a first come, first serve basis. The webinar for government agency personnel is limited to those currently employed in government agencies, and the webinar for higher education officials is limited to those working in a college or university.

Free Webinar for HR Professionals

On May 20, 2009, I will be holding a free webinar for HR Professionals on transgender issues in the Workplace, from 12-1 p.m. (ET). Attendance is limited to 20 on a first come, first serve basis. This webinar is specifically designed for human resources professionals. If you are interested, please see the information below "How to Register." If there is sufficient interest, I will schedule another one on an alternate date. The purpose of the seminar is to introduce human resources professionals to the issues they must address when an employee transitions in the workplace.


I will be presenting the seminar using the free web conferencing available through dimdim.com. I have used this conferencing site successfully to train research personnel, and it seems ideal for this purpose, too. During the webinar, participants can see information presented online as a series of slides, along with a live voice commentary. They are able to ask questions and hear my response.

The information I'll be presenting is specifically geared to HR managers, who face a series of unique challenges that other functions don't have: what is the effect of a change on government recording requirements, what documents are required to effect the change, how should co-workers, clients and customers be alerted in a way calculated to retain a positive workplace environment, bathroom and dressing room usage, insurance coverage, federal, state and local laws, internal policy changes, and risk management. There are a variety of resources and expert consulting services available on these issues, but often HR managers unfamiliar with these issues don't know where to look or what questions to ask in order to effectively utilize these. With transgender discrimination prohibited in more than 20 states and over 100 cities, this issue is at the leading edge of workplace diversity issues.

Please feel free to forward this information to HR professionals you think might be interested. If the maximum number of participants is reached, and there is sufficient interest, an alternate date will be opened to accommodate the additional interest.

HOW TO REGISTER

Please email your name, title, company name, street address and email address to jtwassociates@gmail.com. You will be issued an invitation to the webinar by email via dimdim.com, along with instructions for accessing the site. You should check your spam filter to ensure that the email can be received. You will also receive a free copy of my book, Transgender Workplace Diversity, by regular mail. Attendance is limited to 20 on a first come, first serve basis. This webinar is limited to those currently employed as human resources professionals in an organizational setting.