Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

Good news for members of the LGBTQ community working for a handful of our local employers. From the Post-Gazette …

Mellon Financial Corp., US Airways and GlaxoSmithKline were among 142 companies ranked as the Best Places to Work for Gay, Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Workers. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2007 rankings include companies that implement policies and practices to promote fairness and equality for GLBT workers, the foundation said.

Mellon Financial was featured in a Post-Gazette article for supporting employee driven affinity networks

The HRC Best Places to Work 2007 identifies over 140 companies that achieved a perfect score on equality issues.

Individuals can be fired in 33 states if they are gay, lesbian, or bisexual, and 42 states if they are transgender. HRC recognizes these Best Places to Work for GLBT Equality as companies that have made a commitment to end discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace.

The index only considers Fortune 500 companies and excludes governments, non-profits and hospitals (that's a shame). Criteria include:

* Including sexual orientation and gender identity and expression in company non-discrimination policies.

* Offering diversity education that includes sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.

* Offering equal benefits to domestic partners, including health coverage

* Supporting transgender employees with transition guidelines and wellness benefits.

*Recognizing and supporting GLBT employee resource groups or company wide diversity councils

* Engaging in respectful and appropriate marketing/philanthropy to the LGBT community

Some other companies of interest on the ranking (at least my interest):

– GAP , Nike and Levi Strauss

– Clear Channel Communications

– Best Buy

– Sears