Why should we amend our non-discrimination policy if discrimination is already prohibited by law?
Some employers may operate in jurisdictions where discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation is prohibited by law at the state or local levels.
The HRC Foundation nonetheless looks to employers to include these terms in their own non-discrimination policies, which are generally available to all employees as part of employee handbooks and are often made public on the employer's website and in job announcements. As such, employer non-discrimination policies are often the most readily-accessible and available reference point for individual employees and managers.
Having an inclusive non-discrimination policy is an important baseline practice to help ensure that all employees understand that discriminatory behavior based on these categories will not be tolerated, and helps protect the employer against employees who are not familiar with local laws (e.g.: new hires, remote employees and contractors).
Furthermore, an inclusive non-discrimination policy also helps ensure consistency should the business expand or move into new jurisdictions without such legal protections.
