How Do You Fight Employment Discrimination?

It is one thing when you are fired from a job when you transition, that is much easier fight in court, it is much harder to prove discrimination in hiring.

Transgender jobseekers face barriers to employment
HRM Canada
By Nicola Middlemiss
19 Jul 2016

Ontario-based advocates are calling on employers to bolster opportunities for transgender people after research revealed discrimination is rife, particularly in the recruitment process.

"It's much harder to get a job than to keep a job," said local activist Cole Gately. "It's very, very easy to hire someone who isn't going to make people feel uncomfortable or isn't going to challenge anyone."

In a recent survey of 433 transgender people, almost a third (32 per cent) suspected they had been turned down from a job because of their gender while 18 per cent said they were absolutely certain of the same.

They can use a million excuses why they didn’t hire you; over qualified, under qualified, other candidates were more qualified, and a whole host of other excuses. Unless they are dumb enough to state it out right or they tell you the position is filled and they keep interviewing for the position it is almost impossible for you to prove otherwise.

Even if the company has a 100% rating from the HRC or a bold non-discrimination policy that includes us it is still hard to get your foot in the door because if a boss doesn’t like LGBT people he can makeup reasons why he didn’t hire you to HR.

It is very different if you had a perfect employment history with the company and when you transitions all of sudden they find problems with your work it is a lot easier to prove your case than if you have no history with the company. That is why I consul trans people if at all possible hold off your transition until after you get a job and have an employment record with the company. I know that sucks and we shouldn’t have to do that but that is reality.