The situation in North Carolina is in the news just about every day, it is controversial and a recent Reuters poll found that 44% of those polled thought people should be required to use the bathroom that corresponds to an individual’s gender at birth, while 39% said they should be used according to their gender identity. But the bathroom debate is only part of the transgender discussion; educational institutions still face a significant hurdle in recognizing and addressing transgender issues for both students and their workforce. Every school needs to develop and implement policies which prevent inadvertent discrimination, which may include some of the following issues;
- Anti-discrimination;
- Bathrooms/locker rooms/changing areas;
- Health insurance coverage;
- Privacy concerns;
- Names by which individuals are addressed;
- FMLA and ADA benefits;
- Dress codes/uniforms.
You should speak with an attorney who is familiar with these issues and local state and federal laws to make sure your compliance is adaption of policy is legal and how to implement consistently.
The Workplace Report with Ancel Glink is a great resource to learn more about transgender issues and other workplace issues, many of which extend to more than just employees of your institution.