LGBT Intersection of Age and Sexual Identity in the Workplace

Harley, Debra A.; Teaster, Pamela B.

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-03623-6_29

Debra A. Harley³ &
Pamela B. Teaster⁴

70k Accesses
5 Citations

Abstract

LGBT older workers represent a diverse and growing segment of the workforce. Often, older LGBT workers must contend with unfair laws and discriminatory policies in the labor force. They must overcome the typical barriers to employment such as lack of modern skills, stereotypes, and disincentives of fringe benefits. Federal, state, and local governments and private business must examine their policies that adversely affect LGBT workers and aging workers. Collectively, LGBT workers are subjected to legalized discrimination, which can result in job loss or demotion. LBGT workers endue an unfair burden because of their sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. America is at a policy crossroads and is being tested for its response to legally sanction discrimination and violation of the civil right of LGBT workers. The future of the American work force may well be determined by its response to LGBT workers.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA
Debra A. Harley
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
Pamela B. Teaster

Authors

Debra A. Harley
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Pamela B. Teaster
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Correspondence to Debra A. Harley .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Debra A. Harley
University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Pamela B. Teaster

Appendices

Learning Exercises

1.
What factors go into helping LGBT elders remain in the workforce? Who is likely to do so and why?
2.
What factors prevent LGBT elders from entering the workforce? How can these be surmounted?
3.
What factors do you take in consideration in addressing the needs in addressing the older LGBT employee or those seeking employment?
4.
In what ways does ENDA discriminate against LGBT workers?
5.
What type of LGBT-supportive workplace policies have businesses put in place?

Experiential Exercises

1.
Describe your experience working with an older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender employee. Was there a particular situation that occurred within the workplace setting that you remember? If yes, why?
2.
If you know an elder who is working and LGBT, ask him or her to describe a situation in his or her work where he or she was treated well and where he or she was treated poorly.
3.
Imagine that you have been invited to testify before Congress to provide arguments in support of LGBT-supportive workplace legislation. What evidence would you present?

Multiple-Choice Questions

1.
Which of the following is a reason that loss of a job can be devastating for LGBT workers?
1. (a)
  Many LGBT persons live in poverty
2. (b)
  Many LGBT persons cannot afford to live near their jobs
3. (c)
  Most LGBT workers have large families
4. (d)
  Most LGBT workers are past their prime
2.
Which of the following types of businesses have implemented LGBT-inclusive policies?
1. (a)
  Small businesses
2. (b)
  Government agencies
3. (c)
  Fortune 500
4. (d)
  Universities
3.
FMLA defines spouse by which of the following?
1. (a)
  Federal government
2. (b)
  The state
3. (c)
  DOMA
4. (d)
  Business model
4.
The federal Nondiscrimination Employment Act includes which of the following exemptions for businesses?
1. (a)
  Companion
2. (b)
  Public accommodation
3. (c)
  Religious
4. (d)
  Transgender
5.
Which of the following is a rationale of why businesses have added LGBT-inclusive policies?
1. (a)
  Low cost
2. (b)
  Higher revenue
3. (c)
  Economic benefit
4. (d)
  All of the above
5. (e)
  None of the above
6.
Which of the following prohibits discrimination in employment?
1. (a)
  American Association of Retired People
2. (b)
  Age in Discrimination in Employment Act
3. (c)
  Age and Wage Fairness Act
4. (d)
  Older Persons Fair Employment Act
7.
LGBT workers who work hard and meet their responsibilities and are denied fairness in hiring and promotion are aside to be victims of which of the following?
1. (a)
  A broken bargain
2. (b)
  An unofficial promise
3. (c)
  A misunderstanding
4. (d)
  An unintentional act
8.
Why is it important to address instability in employment and job discrimination for LGBT workers?
1. (a)
  To avoid workplace violence
2. (b)
  Implications for financial insecurity well after retirement
3. (c)
  To reduce the high cost of treatment for HIV/AIDS
4. (d)
  Implications for family planning
9.
Which of the following groups report the highest rate of discrimination and harassment in the workplace?
1. (a)
  Lesbians
2. (b)
  Gay men
3. (c)
  Bisexuals
4. (d)
  Transgender persons
10.
People who may want to be supportive of LGBT persons in the workplace, but do not know how, may remain silent. The silence may be taken for which of the following?
1. (a)
  Hostility
2. (b)
  Approval
3. (c)
  Avoidance
4. (d)
  Mining one own business

Key

1-A
2-C
3-B
4-C
5-D
6-B
7-A
8-B
9-D
10-A

Resources

A Better Balance: www.abetterbalance.org.

American Association of Retired People (AARP): www.aarp.org.

American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employers: www.afscme.org.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC): www.eeoc.gov.

Human Rights Campaign: www.hrc.org/resources/entry/lgbt-employee-resources.

Human Rights Campaign—Corporate Equality Index 2015: Rating American Workplaces on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality: www.hrc.org/campaigns/corporate-equality-index.

Lambda Legal: www.lambdalegal.org.

LGBT Equality in the Workplace: A TUC Guide for Union Negotiators on LGBT Issues (UK ): www.rmt.org.uk/news/publications/lgbt-equality-in-the-workplace.pdf.

PFLAG: www.pflag.org.

Population Services International (PSI): www.world-psi.org.

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Harley, D.A., Teaster, P.B. (2016). LGBT Intersection of Age and Sexual Identity in the Workplace. In: Harley, D., Teaster, P. (eds) Handbook of LGBT Elders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03623-6_29

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03623-6_29
Published: 06 August 2015
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-03622-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-03623-6
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