WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, today released a white paper titled: Transgender-Inclusive Health Care Coverage and the Corporate Equality Index, a resource for employers to make their workplaces more equitable for transgender employees.  The white paper is an educational tool for employers engaged in the Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a national benchmarking survey on policies and benefits for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees. 

In 2009 HRC announced that earning 100 percent on the 2012 CEI requires employers to offer at least one firm-wide available health insurance plan that affords coverage for medically necessary transition-related care. The internationally accepted standards of care are maintained and published by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). Other criteria changes that went into effect in 2012 are available at www.hrc.org/cei. The white paper is available at www.hrc.org/transbenefits.

“Corporate America is leading the charge for fairness for LGBT workers,” said Kathryn Friedman, director of the HRC Workplace Project.  “To attract and retain the best and brightest talent, employers must treat their LGBT employees equally, including in the administration of health care benefits.  Our new white paper will give employers the tools they need to offer equal benefits and stay on pace with other fair-minded companies.  This resource represents over three years of our groundbreaking work in the area of successfully advocating for, and implementing inclusive plan options for transgender employees.”

The 2012 HRC Corporate Equality Index, released in December, rated 850 companies, including the entire Fortune 500. The CEI is the foremost method for businesses to evaluate their diversity and inclusion efforts toward recruiting and retaining LGBT employees, customers and investors.  The first CEI in 2002 had just 13 businesses earning a perfect rating, but by the recent 2012 report reflective of the most stringent criteria to date, 189 Fortune-ranked and other major employers earned a 100 percent score and the distinction of being among the “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality.”

Transgender-Inclusive Health Care Coverage and the Corporate Equality Index is a primer on transgender-inclusive health care coverage, including relevant concepts and vocabulary as well as specific guidance on meeting the CEI criteria.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.