Trans Rights: What Capitol Hill Could Learn From Corporate America 

To reflect a changing world and encourage a more inclusive one, the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index is adding more transgender-specific criteria to its list of policy requirements. For companies to now receive a perfect 100%, they must offer insurance benefits that cover gender-reassignment surgery. Many of the nation's biggest and best-known corporations passed HRC's test and are taking additional steps to improve the workplace for transgender employees.

Macy's: The retailer put specific transgender-related policies, which grant access to fitting rooms and restrooms of transitioning employees' choice, in place in 2006. "We offered special training in intimate apparel departments for sales associates to help transgender individuals with fittings," Beth Charlton of Macy's corporate communications department tells us. "We also have offered training to our store managers, law department, and human resources regarding our transgender policy." The company has also recruited for transgender employees in its San Francisco stores.

General Motors: In 2008, GM was the only automotive company to attend a job fair at Atlanta's Southern Comfort, an annual conference on transgender issues. Meanwhile, Tina Seitz, who transitioned in 2006 while working at GM, tells us that during that time her employer recruited her to assist in creating transgender-related training materials for the company. "GM has made every effort to go beyond merely tolerating transgender individuals," Seitz says. "They've reach reached out, striving to learn what the company can do to make our work experience as stress-free and rewarding as possible."

Wells Fargo: Wells Fargo's insurance plans have covered transgender-related medical procedures for years. Also, the human resources team is trained to assist and offer support for transitioning employees as well as educate their coworkers and supervisors. Wells Fargo also has a website (WellsFargo.com/jump/regional/LGBT) for easy access to the financial powerhouse's LGBT policies.

Toyota: The carmaker's American operations cover medical treatments needed by transgender people, and the company actively recruits LGBT candidates. In June, for Pride month, Toyota's North American sales and distribution headquarters in Torrance, Calif., hosted trans actress Candis Cayne, who spoke to employees about her experience in the workplace.

AT&T: The telecommunications giant provides unisex restrooms for transitioning employees and works closely with LEAGUE, the company's 24-year-old LGBT group, to ensure that corporate policies are sensitive to the needs of transgender people.

Bristol-Myers Squibb: Insurance benefits for employees of this pharmaceutical company, which manufactures and distributes several HIV medications, include coverage for short-term leave after gender-reassignment surgery, mental health counseling, hormone therapy, and medical visits.

IBM: In addition to offering coverage for gender-reassignment surgery, IBM has created a webcast on the topic of gender identity and expression that features transgender workers talking about their experiences and answering questions from other employees. The webcast is available to all IBM employees worldwide, IBM executive Silvy Vluggen tells The Advocate.

Johnson & Johnson: This Fortune 500 company provides coverage for gender-reassignment surgery as well as mental health counseling. Carol Goodrich, Johnson & Johnson's director of corporate media relations, says the company's LGBT affinity group keeps human resources apprised of necessary policy changes and updates. "We've got a very strong LGBT community at Johnson & Johnson," Goodrich says.