Demand action to address the inequality experienced by LGBT+ people at work

As Minister for Women and Equality, we look to you to be a champion of equality, respect and safety in government.

We welcome the government’s announcement on 21 July 2021 that it will:

• introduce a new duty on employers to protect workers from harassment by customers and clients.
• create a specific duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment. 

The trade union movement have long campaigned for these duties and believe they add new layers of protection for workers in the United Kingdom.

However, there is more for the government to do to address the inequality experienced by LGBT+ people.

We call on the Government to:

• reinstate employment tribunals’ powers to make wider recommendations to employers, to root our systemic failings and cultures of bullying and harassment.
• to recruit a new LGBT Advisory Panel, with a clear mandate and trade union representation.

We urge you to consult with unions on strategies to make sure workplaces are safe for all LGBT+ people and to introduce a simplified, free, statutory gender-recognition process, based on self-declaration.

And add our voices to those calling for an immediate ban on all forms of conversion therapy.