The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration
published a Guide to Restroom Access for Transgender Workers. This publication offers best
practices and advice regarding restroom access for transgender workers and comes at the request
of the National Center for Transgender Equality. This organization as an OSHA Alliance partner
that works to develop products and materials designed to protect the safety and health of
transgender individuals at work.
“The core principle is that all employees, including transgender employees, should have access
to restrooms that correspond to their gender identity,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for
Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. “OSHA’s goal is to assure that employers
provide a safe and healthful working environment for all employees.”
There are currently laws which support this core principal at the federal, state, and local levels,
and it is important to understand the laws and how to interpret them as they relate to your
company. Even if you do not currently have any transgender employees, or if you do and you
have appropriate policies and procedures in place, it is imperative that you create a written policy
that is made aware to the entire staff. Without one, you are not only exposing your company to a
large potential lawsuit, you are exposing current or future employees to potential harm due to
ambiguity in workplace practices.
If you have any questions about this new guide or how to institute a policy in relation to
transgender employees, please contact us. If you have anything to add about the Guide to
Restroom Access for Transgender Workers, please leave a comment.
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