10 extra days holiday for transgender affirmation

[Frimley111R]

In Oz.....'Australian supermarket chain Coles has announced a new policy to support its transgender and gender diverse staff, giving them up to 10 days of paid gender affirmation leave.....Gender affirmation or gender transition is the process where a trans or gender diverse person takes steps to socially and/or physically feel more aligned with their gender.'

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/supermar...

[XCP]

Seems a good idea. They'd only go sick with stress otherwise. It's hardly going to apply to many people.

[Zetec-S]

XCP said:

Seems a good idea. They'd only go sick with stress otherwise. It's hardly going to apply to many people.

The reality is more time will be lost with people frothing over this than will actually be lost through people taking these extra days.

[Jenny Tailor]

If they have spent their live turning up to work at Steve, but now wish to be known as Stephanie - it's a big step.
If the holidays help - great. Hopefully the company has a support programme in place which I think will be a more productive step.

[Richard-390a0]

To be fair smokers probably get more than an extra ten days off a year the number of break they take.

[Gecko1978]

XCP said:

Seems a good idea. They'd only go sick with stress otherwise. It's hardly going to apply to many people.

Seems sensible

[Countdown]

XCP said:

Seems a good idea. They'd only go sick with stress otherwise. It's hardly going to apply to many people.

I'm curious as to why they felt the need to implement it. As you say it is unlikely to apply to many people. The cynic in me wonders whether it's due to the publicity.

[ZedLeg]

Because it’s good to have things like this codified in company rules regardless of how often they’re used.

The company I work for has similar rules in place, missed a trick by not sending out a press release

[Ari]

Countdown said:

The cynic in me wonders whether it's due to the publicity.

Big business virtue signalling? Surely not...

[Murph7355]

Gecko1978 said:

XCP said:

Seems a good idea. They'd only go sick with stress otherwise. It's hardly going to apply to many people.

Seems sensible

Except what's to cap the "off because of stress" at 10 days....?

People of all types suffer from stress. If extra leave is the solution, why not give everyone it?

(Does a lad's weekend count towards "gender affirmation"?).

[Biggy Stardust]

Special treatment in the name of equal rights. Excellent.

[ZedLeg]

Murph7355 said:

Gecko1978 said:

XCP said:

Seems a good idea. They'd only go sick with stress otherwise. It's hardly going to apply to many people.

Seems sensible

Except what's to cap the "off because of stress" at 10 days....?

People of all types suffer from stress. If extra leave is the solution, why not give everyone it?

(Does a lad's weekend count towards "gender affirmation"?).

Decent companies should have provisions for dealing with having to be off for stress.

Stress and mental health days are also covered by our policy.

[Murph7355]

ZedLeg said:

Decent companies should have provisions for dealing with having to be off for stress.

Stress and mental health days are also covered by our policy.

Decent companies should have provisions for anyone who needs time off for any major issue impacting their lives.

The policy handbook would be a foot thick if you listed every single eventuality that could cause issues for individuals throughout their careers. And whilst I love "lists", there are dangers with trying to codify everything. It engenders "computer says no"/lack of discretion/empathy should you realise you missed something off the list. People and their relationships are too complex to fully codify. IMO.

[ZedLeg]

Then you leave things open to personal interpretation, which is a dangerous game considering how a lot of people view anyone who doesn’t fit into their own mould.

Codify as much as you can and review if you realise you’ve missed something.

[Countdown]

Biggy Stardust said:

Special treatment in the name of equal rights. Excellent.

Do you get upset about people getting maternity/paternity/adoption leave ?

[Countdown]

Murph7355 said:

Decent companies should have provisions for anyone who needs time off for any major issue impacting their lives.

The policy handbook would be a foot thick if you listed every single eventuality that could cause issues for individuals throughout their careers. And whilst I love "lists", there are dangers with trying to codify everything. It engenders "computer says no"/lack of discretion/empathy should you realise you missed something off the list. People and their relationships are too complex to fully codify. IMO.

The problem is that Managers and Employees are human and will make decisions based on personal feelings rather than what is the right thing to do.

Most Staff Handbooks could be considered "common sense" and summed up in 4 words ("Don't be a tit"). Unfortunately a lot of people don't recognise when they're behaving like a tit.

[Jinx]

ZedLeg said:

Then you leave things open to personal interpretation, which is a dangerous game considering how a lot of people view anyone who doesn’t fit into their own mould.

Codify as much as you can and review if you realise you’ve missed something.

Surely a more general catch all available to anyone going through a significant life change would be better? Than there would be no stigma around what type of leave you are applying for?

[Gecko1978]

Murph7355 said:

Gecko1978 said:

XCP said:

Seems a good idea. They'd only go sick with stress otherwise. It's hardly going to apply to many people.

Seems sensible

Except what's to cap the "off because of stress" at 10 days....?

People of all types suffer from stress. If extra leave is the solution, why not give everyone it?

(Does a lad's weekend count towards "gender affirmation"?).

Who knows but I doubt many are going yo take up the offer so who cares

[ZedLeg]

Jinx said:

ZedLeg said:

Then you leave things open to personal interpretation, which is a dangerous game considering how a lot of people view anyone who doesn’t fit into their own mould.

Codify as much as you can and review if you realise you’ve missed something.

Surely a more general catch all available to anyone going through a significant life change would be better? Than there would be no stigma around what type of leave you are applying for?

Actually had a discussion about something similar, whether abortion should be a named condition for absence. We decided not to as we felt that some people would feel stigmatised if they had to say why they needed the time off. (this is due to us having staff in the US rather than us needlessly reacting here)

In most instances though it’s better to have an idea of why the person is off beyond “sick” so you can set expectations on how long the absence will be and what kind of support/return to work arrangement will be needed.

[J4CKO]

What percentage of the population is trans ?

Seems a lot of column inches and wailing about trans issues, but I have only ever met a couple of trans individuals one of which was a colleague who transitioned male to female in his (now her) fifties. So saw that unfold and it made me realise how tough it must be.

I sometimes feel that despite being supportive and largely understanding, its almost like you say anything it so easy to get pounced on, its almost like you are assumed to be an aggressor "Transphobic", especially as a white heterosexual male, I think the sometimes aggressive activists, similar to BLM do more harm than good and are often way more prejudiced than those they attack. Maybe borne of how they have been treated in the past but often feels like they are looking for you to slip up so they can let loose.