Many people employed in California face some form of workplace discrimination during their careers. Yet, research shows that LGBTQ professionals are especially at risk. Studies show that almost half of all LGBTQ professionals working in America face workplace discrimination at some point during their working lives. They also show that one out of every 10 LGBTQ employees faced this type of treatment within the last 12 months.
According to NBC News, a study conducted by the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, offers a revealing look at how often LGBTQ workers face discrimination in the workplace – and the types of discrimination they often face.
How often LGBTQ workers face discrimination?
Study results showed that 46% of LGBTQ workers employed in the United States report having experienced workplace discrimination at some point during their professional lives. The study involved 935 professionals who identified as LGBTQ across a range of different industries.
What types of discrimination do LGBTQ workers face?
More than a quarter of today’s LGBTQ workers say they have experienced sexual harassment at work due to who they are or how they identify. More than 20% of this population also reported experiencing physical harassment for these same reasons. The problem is especially profound among LGBTQ workers of color. When it comes to workers who fall into both groups, 29% reported losing out on a job because of who they loved or how they identified, while only 18% of white respondents said the same. Another 36% said they faced verbal harassment on the job, while 26% of white respondents reported experiencing the same.
Many LGBTQ respondents in the study also said they regularly received bad shifts or reduced hours, along with being subjected to the aforementioned forms of discrimination.