Coming Out During the Interview Process

My article for the June issue of PRSA Strategies & Tactics is now available. Coming out during the interview process is a very personal decision that should be weighed carefully. Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act is a federal law that protects employees against “discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.” But only 21 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico, have statutes that protect against both sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in employment within the public and private sectors. Your sexual orientation and gender identity should always be a non-issue, left out of hiring decisions; however, volunteering personal details may open you up to potential bias and discrimination. Read more here.