With young workers being the most likely to face abuse, a new poll carried out by the TUC suggests that 52% of LGBT+ people have experienced bullying or harassment at work in the last five years.
While 5% told the TUC that they had experienced physical violence, threats or intimidation at work because of their sexual orientation, more than a quarter (28%) said they had homophobic, biphobic or transphobic remarks directed at them or made in their presence.
As a result, the TUC says, it is not surprising that 29% of LGBT+ people keep their sexual orientation a secret at work.
While 25% told a colleague if they suffered harassment,40% told no-one and only 16% reported the incidents to their employers.
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TUC General Secretary, Paul Nowak, said: “This new report shines a light on the extent of discrimination LGBT+ workers face in our workplaces. LGBT+ people should be safe and supported at work. But instead, they’re experiencing shockingly high levels of bulling and harassment, including assault.”
The TUC poll also found that, on every measure, LGBT+ workers aged between 18 and 24 are experiencing higher levels of discrimination at work with 20% saying they were bullied because of their sexual orientation compared with 11% of workers of all ages.
Mr Nowak said that the new Employment Rights Bill will make “a real difference” but is calling on ministers to change the law, so that employers have a new duty to properly protect their staff from harassment at work.
They must adopt a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of bullying, harassment and discrimination, he concluded.
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