Gay and Transgender Discrimination in the Public Sector : Why It's a Problem for State and Local Governments, Employees, and Taxpayers

C. Burns, K.C. Graham, S. Menefee-Libey

Discrimination and unequal treatment on the job inflicts significant economic harm on gay and transgender public-sector employees and their families. Discrimination against gay and transgender workers introduces costly inefficiencies and thereby imposes significant financial harm on government entities. In this report, we first examine the problem of discrimination and unequal treatment in benefits for gay and transgender public-sector workers. Secondly, we explain why discrimination and unequal treatment is a problem - not only for gay and transgender employees and their families, but also for taxpayers and for state and local governments. We then detail the landscape of existing laws and policies that level the playing field for gay and transgender public-sector workers. And 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.