ACAS Guidance: Gender reassignment & parents with ill babies

ACAS has issued new guidance on the following:

1. Gender reassignment (available here) for employers to aid them in supporting non-binary or gender non-conforming employees at work.

The guidance suggests a number of measures, including the introduction of clear policies on dealing with non-binary genders at work, the provision of quality diversity and equal opportunities training for line managers and the use of LGBT champions to raise awareness of transsexual issues at work.

2. Support for parents with premature or sick babies (available here). The recommendations for employers include:

• ensuring that staff are made aware of their statutory entitlements, including shared parental and paternity leave;
• handling communications sensitively, ensuring that staff are happy to be contacted and are comfortable with colleagues knowing about their situation; and
• being receptive to flexible working requests (including flexitime, part-time working and homeworking), as the baby may need follow up hospital appointments or their partner may need additional support throughout the difficult time.

Commenting on the new guidelines, Business Minister Margot James said that parents of premature or ill babies “should expect nothing less than total backing from their employers”.