The deadline for submissions on the transgender factsheets for employees and employers closed on 30 September 2008. The Department has received submissions from individuals, non-governmental organisations and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions. The submissions will assist the development of the final versions of the factsheets.  A summarised report of the submissions will be made available on this website in the near future.

In January 2008 the Human Rights Commission published a report of the inquiry into discrimination experienced by transgender people (trans people), titled ‘To Be Who I Am’. The inquiry received over 120 submissions, with close to 200 people participating in the process.

Most of the submissions focused on discrimination, with 59% of submissions describing discrimination in employment.

In the ‘To Be Who I Am’ report the Human Rights Commission recommends that the Department of Labour provides information about issues for trans people in the workplace, in order to reduce discrimination and marginalisation experienced by trans people.

At present there is no resource specific to New Zealand that provides information in relation to trans people in the workplace, and their legal rights under New Zealand law.

The Department of Labour is developing two factsheets to provide information about legal rights and protections available to trans people under New Zealand law, as well as best practice guidelines to assist trans people, employers and employees in the workplace. One factsheet is aimed at trans employees, while the other is aimed at employers of trans people.

Download the factsheet for employees [PDF 50KB, 6 pages]
Download the factsheet for employees [RTF 88KB, 6 pages]

Download the factsheet for employers [PDF 58KB, 7 pages]
Download the factsheet for employers [RTF 104KB, 7 pages]

The Department of Labour encourages any interested persons, parties, groups or organisations to review the content of the draft factsheets, and welcomes any and all comments, suggestions and feedback.

Please email your comments by 30 September.

Or you can submit your opinions in hard copy to:

Andrei Zubkov
Workplace Policy Group
Department of Labour
PO Box 3705
Wellington

Discussion Questions

• Do you consider the factsheets provide sufficient information in relation to legal and employment rights of trans people?
• If not, what other information could be provided?
• Do you consider the factsheets provide sufficient information in relation to transitioning in the workplace?
• If not, what other information could be provided?
• Do you have any suggestions for extra information that is specific to trans employees that could be added to the employee factsheet?
• Do you have any suggestions for extra information that is specific to employers that could be added to the employer factsheet?
• Do you have any suggestions for groups or organisations that could be added in the ‘Further Information’ section?
• Overall how would you describe the tone and writing of these factsheets?
• Do you have any experiences regarding trans issues in the workplace that you would like to contribute?