How inclusive benefits support the LGTBQ+ community 

 Throughout the past several years, employers have strived to create a more equitable workforce. Perhaps their efforts were spurred on by the racial justice movement in 2020, which compelled many organizations to reevaluate, or create, DEI policies. This time period also brought a renewed focus on LGBTQ+ equality and the ability to show up as your whole, true self at work. 

But now, four years later, it is evident that work is still needed to ensure that all employees, including employees of marginalized communities, are comfortable in the workplace. In fact, last year the Human Rights Campaign declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the United States for the first time due to an increase in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. 

In this ever-changing environment, employers are recognizing the major role they play in addressing LGBTQ+ employees’ wellbeing. One tangible way they can help support their LGBTQ+ employees is to offer more inclusive benefits. 

For employers, benefits account for nearly 30% of employees’ overall compensation – which means they want to make sure they’re offering solutions that get the most out of their investment. And many employers are now viewing benefits as one of the best ways to foster inclusion. 

So how can you help your clients? As a benefits advisor, you can use your expertise in employee benefits to guide employers towards benefits that extend value for their workforce equitably, irrespective of sexual orientation and gender identity, while also acknowledging the unique challenges members of the LGBTQ+ community face. 

This year, when you are helping your clients evaluate their benefits offerings, pay special attention to identify any gaps in key areas like access to equitable health care, family-forming benefits and financial wellness that can have significant impact on LGBTQ+ employees. 

Access to equitable health care

Nearly 80% of LGBTQ+ adults report gender-affirming care bans make them feel less safe. And many LGBTQ+ employees are still uncomfortable seeking medical care, as they feel they will be judged or unable to speak openly with their provider. For this group of individuals, being supported by their employers through high-quality access to health care can make a big difference. 

Fortunately, 73% of Fortune 500 companies offer transgender-inclusive health insurance coverage. Making sure your clients’ medical plans include coverages that specifically support LGBTQ+ employees enables them to access care providers who allow them to speak openly about their medical and emotional challenges. 

To be truly inclusive, it is important for your clients to offer coverage to more than just spouses. Encourage your clients to offer plans that allow your employee’s domestic partners to be included on the employee’s plan.

Family-forming benefits

Like many employees, growing their family is a major concern for members of the LGBTQ+ community. To support this community, your clients should consider a health insurance plan that covers intrauterine insemination (IUI), in-vitro fertilization (IVF), elective egg freezing, surrogacy and more. Also, it’s a good idea to encourage your clients to review their policies around adoption support and reimbursement. 

Your clients can also support all their employees by offering generous parental leave policies, regardless of gender. This time allows employees to recover from birth, if needed, and bond with their new child. Consider extending these leave policies to adoptions, as well as births. 

Related: LGBTQ+ mental health: Time to stop dropping the ball

You should also encourage your clients to provide support to their employees who need to establish parental rights. Working to establish parental rights, whether it is due to adoption or surrogacy, is a difficult process that can be further complicated by your employees’ marital status. In some states, the law does not recognize LGBTQ+ couples as coparents unless a second-parent adoption document is signed. 

Financial wellness

According to the Human Rights Campaign, nearly half of LGBTQ+ adults say they are financially unwell, compared to 25% of the general public. Additionally, 30% of LGBTQ+ adults say they experienced discrimination while accessing financial services. 

While many of your clients’ employees may be struggling financially, LGBTQ+ employees are at an increased need for financial wellness support. Benefits such as financial education, student loan repayment help, or emergency savings accounts may help these employees close the gap and get back on track financially. 

How a legal plan can help

Whether employees recognize it or not, legal issues can be a part of many situations that LGBTQ+ employees face, from hospital visitation rights to name changes and more. So encouraging your clients to offer a complementary benefit, like legal insurance plans, can help LGBTQ+ employees navigate these issues as they arise. 

Members of the LGBTQ+ community may face legal issues that are more challenging or complex than their peers, making legal insurance a great option to help create a more equitable workplace. For example: 

• It could help LGBTQ+ employees create a health care authorization, complete a HIPAA authorization form and medical power of attorney so that their partner has access to their important health information.
• For family-forming benefits, a legal plan may allow employees to create surrogacy agreements, parentage orders, adoption contracts, or domestic partnership agreements.
• To manage the legal implications of financial wellness, legal insurance can support employees and their partners. An attorney could provide legal representation or review documents as they refinance or consolidate their loans, help defend an employee against consumer protection matters or even assist them when filing for personal bankruptcy, if necessary. 

In this fast-paced world, employers’ support for their LGBTQ+ employees play a significant role in their overall wellness and retention in the company. As your clients are evaluating their benefits for the next year and beyond, remind them how they can support their LGBTQ+ employees by offering more inclusive benefits. 

Ann Cosimano has served as General Counsel at ARAG since 2000 – and starting her career as an attorney in the non-profit world has fostered a deep respect for members experiencing legal matters.