UK 
United States
Indeed, the online job listing website, is offering its transgender employees who seek gender-affirming care a $10,000 (£7962) benefit.
The benefit, which came into action in July, aims to support trans employees, and their immediate families, to relocate somewhere where gender-affirming care is permitted.
In the US, many states continue to criminalise or restrict access to this type of care through state laws, government-issued directives, mandates and orders. The Human Rights Campaign estimates that 35% of transgender youth in the US live in states where there are bans gender-affirming treatment and care.
Any employee that decides to relocate will automatically receive $10,000 (£7962) from Indeed to put towards any relocation expenses they incur, with family members who also seek this type of care being eligible for the benefit also.
Misty Gaither, Indeed’s VP of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, described the reason for the payment: “Our transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming colleagues are integral to our business and culture. We know employees thrive and do their best work when they can bring their authentic selves to work.”
“We also believe that everyone has the right to make the healthcare decisions that they feel are right for themselves and their families.”
Employers showing their ‘human’ side
This benefit from Indeed mirrors when businesses offered financial benefits to workers wanting to seek an abortion amidst the Roe vs Wade overturn, which made abortions illegal in many states in America.
Upon the law change, many giant companies such as Amazon, Citigroup, Microsoft, Uber and Lyft, openly displayed their stance and showed support towards employees seeking abortions, many covering expenses so staff could travel to states where treatment is legal.
One of the companies supporting their workforce in response to the law change was fashion brand Levi Strauss & Co. In a statement, they expressed why they felt support from them was necessary: "We know this is a fraught conversation; it's not something we enter into lightly. But women make up 58% of our global workforce, and in recent years, numerous employees have expressed to leadership their growing alarm over the rollback of all forms of reproductive care.”
"Our position on this is in keeping with our efforts to support employees and family members at all stages of their lives."
Pessimists might say that these benefits are a ploy to achieve a more appealing brand for talent – businesses who provided support for reproductive health experienced an uptick in recruitment at this time – but often, aligning with contentious and divisive social issues can prevent opposing individuals from applying too, potentially minimising a talent pool.
In this sense, employers recognise that these social issues impact the health and wellbeing of their workforce, especially marginalised employees, in significant ways, and have a genuine desire to support them and be on the side of history they feel is ‘right’.
