Posts Tagged ‘Workplace Issues’

Around the “GLOBE” with Alaska Air

Posted by

Alaska air Over the weekend, I was checking out The Advocate's website for the latest LGBT news and info. On the top of the site, there was a banner ad for Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air "Gay Travel Event Calendar." Ever the curious frequent flyer, I clicked through to the site to check out more.

It's actually pretty cool. It's a site that lists LGBT events around the world in the cities that Alaska Air serves. And I'm talking events like Gay Days at Disney World, Dinah Shore Week (who knew?!?), and the GLAAD Media Awards. Even better, some of the events had a discount code to book travel. It got me thinking…is this just smart business and smart marketing, or does Alaska Airlines have a real commitment to our LGBT community?

So, I did some more digging. Turns out, Alaska Airlines is making a real effort. They have the "GLOBE team," an employee resource group made up of employees focused on reaching out to the LGBT communities across their route network. They are reaching out by collaborating and supporting LGBT causes and organizations, including Out & Equal and the AIDS walk. Additionally, the airline is making sure that its LGBT employees are feeling included and appreciated, including equal benefits to partners. In fact, for the second year in a row, Alaska Airlines was among 300 U.S. businesses to receive a perfect 100% score by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation in the 2010 Corporate Equality Index for its treatment of LGBT employees, customers and investors. And importantly, the effort is sponsored by the airline's chief financial officer and executive vice president Glenn Johnson, which means that the Alaska's c-suite understands the value of our community, both internally and externally.

I've not had the opportunity to fly Alaska Air, but I'm now going to try and make it happen. Rule 101 of LGBT marketing is to include us– include us in your outreach, include us in your corporate social responsibility initiatives, and include us as your employees. If you do this, we'll be loyal to your brand. Alaska gets this, and during a time when the economy is challenging the entire travel industry, I encourage Alaska to keep it up. It will pay dividends in terms of ROI and customer base expansion.

Thank you Alaska Air. To borrow from one of your competitors, the LGBT community "loves to fly, and it shows…"

What airlines do you admire for their LGBT commitments?

| January 25th, 2010 1 Comment »
Tags: · · · · ·

Discrimination: We’re Not Lovin’ It

Posted by

Zikerria BellamyEarlier this week, the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) filed a complaint against an Orlando McDonald’s on behalf of seventeen-year-old Zikerria Bellamy. Managers at the restaurant had refused Bellamy a job interview and subsequently a job after learning she was transgendered. One manager followed up those rejections by leaving Bellamy an obscene voicemail that explained why she wouldn’t be hired.

Bellamy has been living as a female for the past six years and was looking for a way to make some extra money when she applied at McDonald’s. Instead, she was laughed at by one manager when she walked into the restaurant and was verbally harassed by another – in addition to using gay slurs against her, the unidentified man on the voicemail also calls her a liar.

Now readers of this blog are well aware that Bellamy should never have been denied a job because she is transgender, let alone be the victim of anti-gay slurs. She should have been given the chance to earn a living without being refused for reasons that have zero to do with her ability to actually DO the job. Interestingly enough, Bellamy worked at another McDonald’s location for three years, so clearly she had experience working in fast-food, as well as experience working for this particular chain. Hmm…

Since the story broke, one of the McDonald’s managers has been fired. A spokesperson for the restaurant said that particular employee was not responsible for hiring and no longer worked there. There hasn’t been any mention of the second manager (the laugher, I’m guessing…?). It’s also been brought to public attention that McDonald’s has a zero tolerance policy prohibiting discrimination or harassment in the restaurant.

Read more »

| December 10th, 2009 No Comments »
Tags: · ·

SkyWest: The Not So Gay Friendly Skies

Posted by

Aircraft-in-the-blue-sky Last June, Gilbert Caldwell married David Farrell, his partner of 34 years, becoming one of 18,000 same-sex couples who married in California after the state Supreme Court legalized same-sex unions.  In accordance with California law, same-sex marriages performed in the state between June and November 2008 are to be legally recognized, meaning that same-sex spouses and domestic partners are to be treated the same as heterosexual married couples in employment, housing, insurance and commerce.

Gilbert, registered as Farrell’s domestic partner since 2002, has worked for SkyWest in Palm Springs, California, for the past five years as a baggage attendant.  According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Caldwell says that SkyWest is breaking California state law by refusing to give his husband the free fares it provides to heterosexual spouses.  According to SkyWest, Farrell is his “travel companion,” which means he’s entitled to fly at a discounted rate but not for free. Travel companion? I’m a little confused…travel companion? Hmmm.  

One of the perks to working for an airline, other than my own personal desire to wear a kicky uniform a la the defunct Braniff Airlines, is not having to pay the exorbitant fares. SkyWest would seem to agree, as the first benefit on its career benefits page states that “one of the many benefits of working at SkyWest is flying FREE.” It goes on to state that effective upon employment, employees, spouses or domestic partners have unlimited space-available travel privileges, as well as substantially reduced fares with most other carriers. There is the requisite disclaimer that “all travel related privileges are subject to eligibility requirements and other restrictions,” yet for the life of me, I cannot find anything on the page that discusses those requirements or restrictions.  Again, I say, more emphatically, …hmmm.

A few days ago, Caldwell, and his legal team, Lambda Legal, sent a letter to SkyWest (and Delta Airlines) warning them that their treatment of gay employees’ spouses and registered domestic partners violates not only the airline's own policies but also California law.
 
Caldwell’s complaint is one of the first to come to light by any of the same-sex couples that married in the short window before Prop 8 was passed in California. If Caldwell and Farrell are legally married under the ever watchful eyes of the law, then why isn’t Caldwell allowed to give his husband the free flight opportunities that his straight married colleagues are? Stepping away from the social and legal issue here regarding same-sex marriage, let’s focus on SkyWest as a company and what exactly it is communicating to its straight and gay employees, as well as its vast consumer audience? As a straight ally, I’m certainly less likely to want to fly on SkyWest knowing that it refuses to grant the same privileges to its employees based on sexual orientation.  So, SkyWest, if you want my business or to tap into the vast buying power of the LGBT community, may I suggest you take a look at this posting?  I think you just might recognize some of the companies on that list…

| November 5th, 2009 No Comments »
Tags:

Equality: Past, Present and Future

Posted by

J0422804 This past weekend, we celebrated National Coming Out Day and the National Equality March. As thousands joined together in support of marriage equality, including President Obama, we cannot help but feel hopeful for what the future may bring. But after a weekend of LGBT Pride, we alas return to reality and another work week ahead.

Regardless of what office building you entered this morning, a safe, inclusion environment and fair treatment are essential to keeping you happy and productive. So, when Out & Equal Workplace Advocates released their study results about the standard for judging employees, it made me feel a little better about Monday morning.

According the recent study, 86 percent of heterosexual adults agree that how an employee does his or her job should be the standard for judging an employee, not their sexual orientation, compared to 79 percent in a similar survey conducted in June 2008. Furthermore, 52 percent of heterosexual adults surveyed and 57 percent of LGBT adults said that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are treated fairly and equally in their workplace, a 10 percent increase from 2008.

Looking at these statistics makes me feel like we’re doing something right. Corporations are now more aware of the importance of diversity inclusion and the benefits of cultivating an open culture. Through workplace diversity programs, companies are truly creating safe environments for everyone – regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief. It is through these programs that companies are able to boost morale and establish a team, a family, that utilizes everyone’s strengths and talents. Tell me, what’s the downside in any of that?

So, as you begin your work week, I hope that you feel more assured in knowing that companies are beginning to recognize the importance of workplace diversity programs. For me, this leaves me with a sense of hope – hope that we’re getting closer to a future that truly embodies the word — equality.

| October 12th, 2009 1 Comment »
Tags: · · ·

Working All-Gay Long

Posted by

Work Yesterday I printed off the Sept. 12 New York Times' editorial on The Rights of Gay Employees to our office copier, considering it for today's blog post. A few minutes later, my straight supervisor and friend dropped off the paper at my desk, which is decorated with pictures of close friends and outings in Boystown, and client coverage in major LGBT media. We joked about his profiling, as I asked for the correct number in HR. I stopped laughing as I turned to the article and read, my own comfort and confidence in being out front at work rocked by the numbers and issues for those who cannot.

As outlined in the piece, it is legal to fire employees for being gay in more than half of the United States, despite the fact that we now have openly gay congressmen, clergy men, business executives, and leaders in several industries. And while most major Fortune 500 companies protect gay employees against discrimination through policies, several gays and lesbians around the country work in industries and states without the protection against losing their jobs – protection possible under a federal law against such discrimination.

Suddenly, my "out" cube and profession in a major metropolitan market was uncomfortable. It reminded me of a freedom I had that many others did not. What if every day at work I had to be someone different or not fully myself — despite a good performance record or solid contribution to business? What if every day, recession or not, I feared my job's security because of a part of my life that really has no bearing on how I perform the tasks assigned to me? And what if I had no way of discussing the issue or pushing for simple job security based solely on merit and performance, not my personal life?

For those LGBT individuals in such position, I cannot preach my typical message of being "out front" and sharing your life freely to enact change, for that change could very well be the end of their current livelihood. However, I can encourage those of us protected by company policies or state laws to be out front in our efforts with friends, business colleagues and legislators, encouraging the protection of all working Americans.

I'd love to hear from our readers who have faced or are facing this issue, and those of you have chosen not to be out at work, despite company policies protecting you. Share your stories in the comments below.

| September 15th, 2009 No Comments »
Tags: · ·

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »