Report: The US is less productive because of LGBT discrimination in the workplace
Discrimination against LGBT employees of the US government, on all levels, is proving costly to the taxpayer, a new study claims.
Titled, Gay and Transgender Discrimination in the Public Sector, the report says there are around a million LGBT employees working in state, local or municipal government, and that many fear that they will be overlooked for promotion, not be hired at all, or even that they will be sacked, for being gay.
Produced by AFSCME, a public services union, and the Center for American Progress, a nonpartisan research institute, the report starts by saying that discrimination is unfair to LGBT people and has a negative financial effect:
“Discrimination against gay and transgender workers introduces costly inefficiencies and thereby imposes significant financial harm on government entities.
“Discrimination forces out the best and the brightest employees, minimises productivity, introduces turnover-related costs, and exposes governments to potentially costly litigation.
The report examines the problem, and then suggests legal solutions to protect the LGBT workforce in their jobs, and the government and taxpayer from losing out financially:
“Lastly, we outline commonsense solutions that policymakers at the municipal, state, and federal level should take to combat discrimination and ensure the fair and equal treatment of all employees, gay or straight, transgender or not.
