Among other events late August saw the convening of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of commerce in Palm Springs, CA. Among the presentations was a 75-minute discussion about transgender inclusivity in the workplace. Conducted by Beck Bailey of the Human Rights Campaign and Chris Crespo of Ernst & Young, the discussion outlined best practices for companies and coworkers in order to foster an inclusive environment.

More than a quarter of transgender people have lost a job due to bias and three-fourths have experienced workplace discrimination, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality. While there are no federal laws explicitly protecting trans employees, there have been federal court cases supporting coverage for transgender individuals as sex discrimination. And 19 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and more than 200 cities and counties around the U.S. have laws explicitly prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity or expression.

Companies don't have to wait for the law to be committed to being an inclusive workplace.

--Bailey

93% of Fortune 500 companies have sexuality protections and 75% have gender identity protections.

People are going to make mistakes, but the important thing is to open your heart and mind.

--Crespo

Among the recommendations were a company-wide anti-discrimination policy, an LGBTQ benefits liaison and gender-neutral facilities.

If you can de-gender the language, it makes things so much easier, said Crespo. As an example, she recommended using the term "parental leave" instead of "maternal leave."

While gender-neutral restrooms were a significant topic of conversation at the trans-inclusivity panel -- as they are in the current news cycle -- Bailey emphasized their use shouldn't be mandatory.

We do not want to require transgender or gender-nonconforming people to use a particular restroom," he said. The preferable approach, according to Bailey, would be to let employees -- both trans and cisgender -- use either a gender-neutral restroom or one that corresponds to their gender identity.

The Transgender Law Center has created a Model Transgender Employment Policy.

Meanwhile California has initiated a program in partnership with the California Restaurant Association called the California Transgender Workplace Project, which has a goal of reducing the unemployment rate of transgender people, which is twice the rate of cisgender people.

As an incentive to owners and managers, the first 60 hours of a new hire's wages will be paid for through a $150,000 grant from the California Workforce Development Board.

The project is the brainchild of Michaela Mendelsohn, an out trans woman and owner of six Southern California El Pollo Loco restaurants, who’s employed trans people for years.

The word’s just gotten out that I’m a trans owner supporting trans people.

--Mendelsohn

Mendehlson believes she employs 12-15 trans employees.

But until she hired her first trans employee in 2012, she was the only trans person in her restaurants. That trans woman told Mendelsohn of her trouble securing an entry-level position. Upon meeting her, interviewers told her that there were no open positions, and recalled how hiring managers would laugh or scoff when she entered the room.

Mendelsohn decided something more needed to be done, and started collaborating with the Los Angeles LGBT Center and the TransLatin@ Coalition to find jobs for other out-of-work trans people.