This comes after TGNS lawyers received more than 300 complaints of workplace discrimination last year.
The TGNS campaign, launched on Wednesday, includes the website transwelcome.chExternal link which contains information about “Being trans and coming out in the work environment”.
Some 50 Swiss companies and institutions including Swiss Post, the Swiss Federal Railways, and ETH Zurich have already signed a declaration of commitment to a trans-friendly workplace.
The TGNS is urging Swiss employers to play a stronger role in improving the integration of trans people in the workplace. It says the Swiss government, cantons and municipalities as the largest employers must set a good example and create an “inclusive work culture” which supports trans people.
Difficulties
The unemployment rate for Swiss transgender people is 20% – five times higher than the Swiss national average. According to Alecs Recher, head of legal advice at TGNS, this is often because of challenges transgender people face at work after coming-out. “The negative experiences include bullying, unfair references, but also sexual harassment and dismissals,” he told the Swiss News Agency.
According to Recher, almost all complaints handled during an arbitration process result in a favourable outcome for the trans person involved, even though complainants rarely receive financial compensation from their employers. “Yet simply hearing that they have been wronged is very important to these people,” said Recher.
A new, non-representative survey External linkconducted by TGNS which questioned 140 transgender people in German- and French-speaking Switzerland found that for one in five participants, their coming-out had not been successful.
The study, which was co-financed by the Swiss Federal Office for Gender Equality (EBG), found that around 25% of participants lost their jobs after coming out, or experienced a deterioration of their professional situation. Less than half of all participants said that they felt accepted at work in their new gender, and 25% said that they had received little or no support from their employer.
More
More
In the wrong body
This content was published on
Niklaus Flütsch has reservations about the red tape surrounding his transgender identity. He is a successful gynaecologist who lives as a man. But as he was born a woman and doesn’t want to go through the bureaucratic procedures to change his official records, his passport still has an “F” next to the word gender. Sabine…
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
Swiss federal office sees no reason to end deportations of asylum-seekers to Croatia
This content was published on
Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) continues to deport asylum-seekers to Croatia. It thus rejects a demand from the Swiss Refugee Council in mid-February, which called for a halt to the returns.
ChatGPT responds to negative emotions and therapy, research shows
This content was published on
Stressful information can also cause anxiety in artificial intelligence (AI). As scientists in Zurich have shown, it's even possible to calm the GPT-4 AI model with mindfulness exercises.
Mortgage benchmark fall paves way for potential rent cuts in Switzerland
This content was published on
Switzerland’s national benchmark for mortgage costs dropped to the level it had before the global inflation surge, paving the way for potential rent reductions.
Switzerland ‘deeply concerned’ by Trump’s death penalty order
This content was published on
Switzerland has told the UN Human Rights Council that it is "deeply concerned" by US President Donald Trump's recent executive order to strengthen capital punishment at federal and state level.
Blatter, Platini return to court for new fraud trial over CHF2 million FIFA payment
This content was published on
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and former UEFA President Michel Platini appeared in court in Switzerland on Monday accused of fraud - 2.5 years after they were cleared.
Israel criticises Swiss decision to host Middle East conference in Geneva on Friday
This content was published on
Israel has condemned Switzerland for planning to host a meeting on international humanitarian law in the Middle East next Friday in Geneva.
Centre Party’s Franziska Biner elected to Valais government
This content was published on
Voters in canton Valais in southern Switzerland elected Franziska Biner to the cantonal government in the first round of voting, beating off more established politicians.
This content was published on
Gay or lesbian parents are almost non-existent in the Swiss mainstream media, unlike in the United States. But are things changing?
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.