FORT LAUDERDALE — Workplace discrimination against LGBT employees in Florida costs employers more than $362 million a year, according to a recent report by a coalition of major employers in the state.
The report was commissioned by Equality Means Business. It includes interviews with several top executives from nationally recognized businesses based in Florida, links business leaders’ concerns over the state’s ability to compete with financial losses in productivity and employee turnover.
Other key findings include: ?
- Florida has a reputation of being hostile toward diversity that impedes the ability of business to attract talent.
- More than 60 percent of LGB employees, and more than 80 percent of transgender employees in Florida, have experienced discrimination in the workplace.
“We’ve long said that discrimination takes a toll on our economy, and we now know that price tag is millions of dollars lost,” said Nadine Smith, co-founder and CEO of Equality Florida. “It is clearly in the state’s interests to provide equal protection for all employees against discrimination.”
Executives participating in the report stated they see nondiscrimination protections as common sense and non-negotiable, especially among the younger generation of workers, including those who do not identify as LGBT.
Senior executives have found that millennials are flocking to workplaces where they believe their values are reflected, and suggest they want a company culture that treats all people fairly.?
The full report is available online at eqfl.org/emb/economic_impact_study.
