LGBTQ+ workers face ‘pervasive’ levels of bullying, discrimination and harassment, warns TUC 

Bullying, discrimination and harassment of LGBTQ+ workers is “pervasive” in workplaces in Great Britain, the UK’s TUC has warned.

The warning comes as the TUC publishes new analysis, based on the most recent available data, which reveals that over half a million (558,500) LGBTQ+ people have faced bullying, discrimination and harassment at work. The union body’s analysis also shows that almost 300,000 LGBTQ+ workers feel more at risk of bullying and harassment due to their LGBTQ+ identity.

The TUC says the Employment Rights Bill will introduce key protections from harassment and abuse by third parties – such as customers and patients – which will benefit over a million LGBT+ workers. The data from the TUC's survey found that for LGBTQ+ workers who have faced workplace mistreatment, this came in different forms:

• Nearly 4 in 10 (37%) reported offensive jokes or banter about LGBTQ+ people.
• Close to 3 in 10 (28%) experiences homophobic, bi-phobic or transphobic remarks directed at them or made in their presence.
• Around 2 in 10 (19%) reported verbal abuse (including name calling) about LGBTQ+ people, directed at themselves or others.
• Over 1 in 10 (16%) reported being subjected to questioning about being LGBTQ+ that made them feel offended or humiliated.
• And over 1 in 10 (14%) reported offensive literature, music or images about LGBTQ+ people distributed in the workplace.

Mistreatment came at the hands of work colleagues, customers, clients, patients and members of the public met through work. The survey shows that over half (50%) of LGBTQ+ workers (around 537,000 people) feel that bullying, discrimination and harassment in the workplace is among the biggest issues this group face.

The Employment Rights Bill, which has just completed committee stage in the House of Lords, is set to offer protection for workers experiencing abuse at work. Over one million LGBTQ+ workers will benefit from these protections. In particular, the Employment Rights Bill includes a clause requiring employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent harassment of staff by third parties, such as customers and patients.

The TUC says this will help stamp out widespread abuse of LGBTQ+ workers. The survey shows that protecting workers from harassment is one of the most popular policies in the Employment Rights Bill, with almost eight in ten UK voters (78%) supporting it.

“No one should face bullying, harassment or discrimination at work. But far too many LGBTQ+ workers are reporting that this is their everyday experience. It’s time to stamp out this pervasive mistreatment. LGBTQ+ workers deserve dignity and respect like every other worker does,” stated TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak. “That’s why the Government’s Employment Rights Bill is so important. It will introduce sensible changes like a duty on employers to protect workers from harassment by customers or patients. This will be an important step towards putting an end to the widespread mistreatment LGBTQ+ people experience at work.”