NJ gay men shouldn’t suffer or be treated disparately at work, yet many feel compelled to remain in the closet in the workplace for fear of repercussions. This is true no matter whether the men are six-figure earning, upwardly mobile, while-collar executives or blue-collar laborers. Fear of repercussions can keep gay men isolated and feeling alone on the job in return for a sense of perceived job security and advancement.
The repercussions could be disparate treatment directly by the employer or harassment from co-workers. If you think you are being treated disparately or denied opportunities by your employer, or if you are being ridiculed or harassed by co-workers because you are, or because others have a perception that you are gay, or because of your associations with other gays, you should contact an employment law attorney who is experienced in handling sexual orientation cases.
I have successfully represented clients in numerous employment cases where as soon as management or other employees suspected that the employee was gay or transgender, the employment environment changed for the worse. Where before there was support, there became criticism and/or teasing and harassment. Where before the employee was on the fast track for advancement, he was denied the training needed to advance further. I am an aggressive and compassionate employment law attorney who was successful in recovering monetary compensation for them.
About Half of LGBTQ Employees Remain in the Closet out of Fear According to a New Survey.
A new study by the HRC Foundation revealed that since 2008 there has only been a 4% decrease in LGBTQ employees coming out of the closet in the workplace. The HRC Foundation survey found that over this ten year period, there has been little comfort for such employees to be open in the workplace. This shows little improvement since HRC’s issued its 2008 report in which it found that 50 % of workers remain closeted in the workplace and now 46% remain in the closet. This mere 4% drop is an alarming statistic in light of other legal rights secured for gays, including the Supreme Court's legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015.
Barriers to full inclusion exist within interpersonal workplace relationships. It is not uncommon if you feel alone, depressed and separate because of comments and sometimes intangible issues in the workplace, if you are part of the LGBTQ community, regardless of whether you are out of, or in the closet while working. The recent HRC survey reported an unwelcoming workplace for LGBTQ Employees according to the survey as follows:
- One in five employees has stayed at home during their scheduled workdays because the workplace was not accepting of LGBTQ persons.
- One in five employees are looking for other employment opportunities as result of their current work environment.
- One in ten employees quit their job because the work environment was not accepting of LGBTQ persons.
One hopeful finding as revealed by this recent survey is that when both LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ employees hear biased jokes and negative comments about LGBTQ, both groups are more likely to address them rather than just ignoring them as compared to six years ago.
If You Are Thinking of Simply Resigning
If you are thinking of simply resigning because of discrimination in your workplace and/or because you notified your employer about harassment and no action was taken, you should contact an attorney experienced in sex, gender, sexual orientation and gender expression employment law before you do so, to explore your legal options in the safest way for you.
What You Can Do
I am an aggressive and compassionate employment law attorney who is experienced in representing persons who were subjected to such sex, gender, sexual orientation and gender expression harassment in the workplace and was successful in recovering monetary compensation for them. If you have experienced disparate treatment or harassment at work, or if you reported it and no action was taken, if you are thinking of resigning or think you will be fired, or have been fired, it is important that you consult with an attorney who is experienced in such discrimination.
If you are being subjected to workplace discrimination, contact Hope A. Lang, Attorney at Law today for a free consultation.
Hope A. Lang, Attorney at Law serves clients throughout New Jersey, including Bergen, Middlesex, Essex, Hudson, Monmouth, Ocean, Union, Camden, Passaic, and Morris Counties with locations in southern, central, western and northern NJ to meet with clients.