Kate Bischoff is an attorney and HR consultant at tHRive Law & Consulting LLC and an HR Compliance Adjunct Professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Wendy Berry is a Senior HR Generalist at Just Us Health and a councilperson for West St. Paul City. They join Mike Wood to discuss fostering inclusivity in the workplace for members of the LGBTQ community.

Hope

Mike asks Kate and Wendy how things have been in Minneapolis regarding the current civil unrest. The best takeaway from all of it is the feeling of community, Wendy says. Kate adds that seeing people cleaning up their communities and providing meals for those in need makes her hopeful for a better future where there is a change in the way policing is done. 

The Supreme Court’s Landmark Decision

Mike asks Kate to explain the recent LGBTQ rights ruling by the Supreme Court. In Title 7 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, sex is one of the protected classes against discrimination. The argument was that one cannot describe the orientation of a member of the LGBTQ community without using sexual terms like gender identity, which therefore puts sexual orientation and gender identity in the list of protected classes, Kate clarifies. Wendy expresses her satisfaction with the Court’s decision, though she wishes it was a 9-0 verdict instead of 6-3. It’s all summed up to be basic human decency, Mike says. Wendy describes her experiences with workplace discriminition as an openly lesbian individual. Kate and Wendy discuss the impact of representation in the media. 

HR’s Input

Wendy shares suggestions of small but impactful things organizations can do to be more inclusive towards their LGBTQ members, such as having gender neutral bathrooms and encouraging employees to introduce themselves with their pronouns if they so desire. Mike talks about WorkHuman’s culture of treating their employees with the human decency and respect they deserve.

Resources 

Kate Bischoff on LinkedIn | Twitter

tHRiveLawConsulting.com | Twitter

Wendy Berry on LinkedIn

WendyBerry.com