2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan Survey Results – Employment and Workplace

This visual product displays the survey results for questions related to employment and the workplace in a disaggregated manner, by showing results for related questions broken down by the respondent’s gender, age, sexual orientation, population group, disability status, province of residence and more.

Employment Status

1. What best describes your current work situation?

The majority of respondents were employed fulltime.

Table 1 - Employment status response
Survey respondents overall Percentage

Employed full-time for pay
(i.e. more than 30 hours/week)

52%

Employed part-time for pay

11%

Homemaker

<1%

Other

2%

Retired

5%

Self-employed

6%

Student

14%

Unable to work due to a disability

4%

Unemployed, and currently seeking work

7%

2. How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your employment situation?

63% of employed respondents reported that the pandemic had no impact on their employment situation.

Table 2 -Pandemic response, employed
Employed Respondents Percentage

Laid off

8%

No impact

63%

No impact, but I anticipate that my employment and/or hours available for me to work will be affected in the future

11%

Reduced work hours

19%

3. How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your employment situation?

However, 66% of unemployed respondents who were currently seeking work reported that the pandemic made it harder for them to find work.

Table 3 - Pandemic impact response, unemployed
Unemployed Respondents Percentage

The pandemic has made it harder for me to find work

66%

Laid off

28%

No impact

4%

No impact, but I anticipate that my employment and/or hours available for me to work will be affected in the future

2%

4. How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your employment situation?

Employed respondents of Middle Eastern/North African decent (15%) were the most likely population group to have been laid off as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, employed respondents of Sout East Asian (19%) and South Asian (17%) descent were the most likely population groups to report that they anticipated their employment/hours available for them to work would be affected by COVID-19 in the future.

Table 4 - Pandemic employment impact response, population group
Population Group and Indigenous Identity Laid off No impact No impact, but I anticipate that my employment and/or hours available for me to work will be affected in the future Reduced work hours

White

8%

64%

10%

18%

South Asian

7%

57%

17%

19%

East Asian

6%

60%

14%

21%

South East Asian

8%

52%

19%

22%

Middle Eastern / North AfricanFootnote 3

15%

56%

12%

17%

Black Caribbean

7%

60%

14%

19%

Black African

9%

62%

15%

15%

Latin American

12%

57%

12%

19%

Racialized: Other GroupsFootnote 4

11%

53%

14%

22%

White and RacializedFootnote 5

9%

59%

11%

21%

Indigenous

10%

56%

13%

21%

5. How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your employment situation?

66% of employed respondents without disabilities reported that the COVID-19 pandemic had no impact on their employment, while only 53% of employed respondents with a disability stated the same.

Table 5 - Pandemic employment response, disabilities
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your employment situation? Respondents with Disabilities Respondents without Disabilities

Laid off

10%

7%

No impact

53%

66%

No impact, but I anticipate that my employment and/or hours available for me to work will be affected in the future

14%

10%

Reduced work hours

23%

17%

6. If you were looking for a job at a non-LGBTQ2 establishment, do you think that sharing information about your sexual orientation during the hiring process would reduce your chances of being hired?

37% of respondents felt that sharing information about their sexual orientation in the hiring processes would reduce their chances of being hired at a non-2SLGBTQI+ establishment.

Table 6 - 2SLGBTQI+ results
Do you think that sharing information about your sexual orientation during the hiring process would reduce your chances of being hired? Percentage

Yes

37%

No, but only if I know that the employer is LGBTQ2 friendly

51%

No

12%

7. If you were looking for a job at a non-LGBTQ2 establishment, do you think that sharing information about your sexual orientation during the hiring process would reduce your chances of being hired?

47% of Two-Spirit respondents felt that sharing information about their sexual orientation in the hiring processes would reduce their chances of being hired at a non-2SLGBTQI+ establishment.

Table 7 - 2SLGBTQI+ employment response by gender
Do you think that sharing information about your sexual orientation during the hiring process would reduce your chances of being hired? Lesbian Gay Bisexual Pansexual Queer Asexual Demisexual Heterosexual Unsure Two-Spirit

Yes

39%

37%

36%

37%

33%

35%

37%

35%

38%

47%

No, but only if I know that the employer is LGBTQ2 friendly

51%

48%

53%

55%

61%

53%

56%

32%

47%

41%

No

11%

14%

10%

8%

6%

12%

7%

34%

15%

11%

8. If you were looking for a job at a non-LGBTQ2 establishment, do you think that sharing information about your gender identity during the hiring process would reduce your chances of being hired?

43% of respondents felt that sharing information about their gender identity in the hiring processes would reduce their chances of being hired at a non-2SLGBTQI+ establishment.

Table 8 - 2SLGBBTQI+ employment responses
Do you think that sharing information about your gender identity during the hiring process would reduce your chances of being hired? Percentage

Yes

43%

No, but only if I know that the employer is LGBTQ2 friendly

31%

No

26%

9. If you were looking for a job at a non-LGBTQ2 establishment, do you think that sharing information about your gender identity during the hiring process would reduce your chances of being hired?

Transgender women (69%) respondents were most likely to think that sharing information about their gender identity in the hiring process would reduce their chances of being hired at a non-2SLGBTQI+ establishment compared to other gender identities.

Table 9 - 2SLGBTQI+ gender identity employment response by gender
Do you think that sharing information about your gender identity during the hiring process would reduce your chances of being hired? Transgender woman Cisgender woman Transgender man Cisgender man Gender diverse Non-Binary / Agender Two-Spirit

Yes

69%

27%

62%

30%

55%

60%

54%

No, but only if I know that the employer is LGBTQ2 friendly

28%

30%

35%

28%

39%

37%

31%

No

3%

43%

3%

42%

6%

3%

15%

Workplace Environment

10. Are you comfortable sharing information about your sexual orientation at your workplace?

46% of employed respondents felt comfortable sharing information about their sexual orientation in their workplace.

Table 10 - Sexual orientation response
Are you comfortable sharing information about your sexual orientation at your workplace? Percentage

Yes

46%

Yes to some people, but not others

42%

No

12%

11. Are you comfortable sharing information about your sexual orientation at your workplace?

Asexual (26%) and bisexual (21%) employed respondents were more likely to report that they were not comfortable sharing information about their sexual orientation in the workplace compared to respondents from other sexual orientation groups.

Table 11 - 2SLGBTQI+sexual orientation response by gender
Are you comfortable sharing information about your sexual orientation at your workplace? Lesbian Gay Bisexual Pansexual Queer Asexual Demisexual Heterosexual Unsure Two-Spirit

Yes

51%

57%

29%

35%

43%

23%

26%

51%

25%

54%

Yes to some people, but not others

41%

36%

50%

49%

47%

51%

59%

24%

36%

36%

No

8%

7%

21%

16%

10%

26%

15%

24%

38%

10%

12. Are you comfortable sharing information about your sexual orientation at your workplace?

47% of white respondents felt comfortable sharing information about their sexual orientation at their workplace, compared to 35% of South Asian respondents or 35% of East Asian respondents. In addition, 30% of Black African respondents were not comfortable sharing information about their sexual orientation at work, as opposed to only 12% of white respondents.

Table 12 - sexual orientation population group response
Population Group and Indigenous Identity Yes Yes to some people but not others No

White

47%

41%

12%

South Asian

35%

46%

18%

East Asian

35%

48%

17%

South East Asian

40%

45%

14%

Middle Eastern / North African

46%

37%

17%

Black Caribbean

44%

39%

17%

Black African

43%

27%

30%

Latin Americans

42%

43%

14%

Racialized: Other Groups

45%

42%

14%

White and Racialized

45%

41%

14%

Indigenous

42%

44%

14%

13. Are you comfortable sharing information about the following at your workplace: Your gender identity?

59% of respondents were comfortable sharing information about their gender identity at their workplace.

Table 13 - Gender Identity in worpalce response
Are you Comfortable Sharing Information about your Gender Identity at the Workplace? Percentage

Yes

59%

Yes to some people, but not others

23%

No

18%

14. Are you comfortable sharing information about the following at your workplace: Your gender identity?

On the other hand, gender diverse (35%) and non-binary / agender (29%) respondents were more likely to report that they were not comfortable sharing information about their gender identity at their workplace compared to respondents from other gender identity groups.

Table 14 - Gender Identity in worpalce response by gender
Are you Comfortable Sharing Information about your Gender Identity at the Workplace? Transgender woman Cisgender woman Transgender man Cisgender man Gender diverse Non-Binary / Agender Two-Spirit

Yes

45%

72%

29%

77%

26%

28%

53%

Yes to some people, but not others

31%

16%

46%

13%

39%

43%

27%

No

25%

13%

24%

11%

35%

29%

20%

15. Are you comfortable sharing information about the following at your workplace: Your gender identity?

63% of East Asian and 61% of Latin American respondents felt comfortable sharing information about their gender identity at their workplace, compared to 51% of South Asian and South East Asian respondents.

Table 15 - Gender Identity in worpalce response, population group
Population Group and Indigenous Identity Yes Yes to some people but not others No

White

59%

23%

18%

South Asian

51%

29%

19%

East Asian

63%

20%

17%

Southeast Asian

51%

31%

19%

Middle Eastern / North African

57%

25%

18%

Black Caribbean

54%

27%

20%

Black African

Insufficient data

Insufficient data

Insufficient data

Latin American

61%

23%

15%

Racialized: Other Groups

56%

24%

20%

White and Racialized

53%

28%

19%

Indigenous

53%

25%

21%

Harassment due to Sexual Orientation

16. In the past five years, have you experienced harassment in the workplace due to your sexual orientation?

Approximately one quarter of employed respondents experienced harassment in the workplace due to their sexual orientation (26%).

Table 16 - Gender Identity harassment response
In the past five years, have you experienced harassment in the workplace due to your sexual orientation? Percentage

Yes

26%

No

69%

Don’t know

5%

17. In the past five years, have you experienced harassment in the workplace due to your sexual orientation?

Two-Spirit (42%) and Queer (31%) employed respondents were most likely to experience harassment in the workplace due to their sexual orientation compared to other sexual orientation groups.

Table 17 - Gender Identity harassment response, sexual orientation
In the past five years, have you experienced harassment in the workplace due to your sexual orientation? Lesbian Gay Bisexual Pansexual Queer Asexual Demisexual Heterosexual Unsure Two-Spirit

Yes

27%

27%

22%

27%

31%

19%

26%

21%

14%

42%

No

67%

69%

71%

66%

62%

74%

63%

76%

75%

53%

Don’t know

6%

4%

7%

6%

6%

7%

11%

3%

11%

5%

18. In the past five years, have you experienced harassment in the workplace due to your sexual orientation?

Respondents from the “Racialized: Other Groups” population group (36%) were most likely to experience harassment in the workplace due to their sexual orientation, followed by Indigenous respondents (35%) and Black African respondents (31%).

Table 18 - Gender Identity harassment response by population group
Population Group and Indigenous Identity Yes No Don’t know

White

25%

70%

5%

South Asian

25%

67%

8%

East Asian

17%

75%

8%

South East Asian

20%

72%

7%

Middle Eastern / North African

26%

67%

7%

Black Caribbean

24%

66%

10%

Black African

31%

65%

5%

Latin American

24%

69%

7%

Racialized: Other Groups

36%

55%

9%

White and Racialized

28%

64%

8%

Indigenous

35%

59%

6%

19. In the past five years, have you experienced harassment in the workplace due to your sexual orientation?

Respondents with disabilities (34%) were also more likely than those without disabilities (23%) to experience harassment in the workplace due to their sexual orientation.

Table 19 - Gender Identity harassment response, disability
In the past five years, have you experienced harassment in the workplace due to your sexual orientation? Respondents with Disabilities Respondents without Disabilities

Yes

34%

23%

No

59%

72%

Don’t know

7%

5%

20. Thinking only of the incidents of workplace harassment that you experienced in the last five years related to your sexual orientation what forms did they take?

The most common forms of workplace harassment experienced by respondents due to their sexual orientation were microaggressionsFootnote 6  (92%), verbal slurs (57%), and sexual harassment (28%).

Table 20 - Gender Identity harassment response by type
Most common forms of workplace harassment experienced by respondents due to their sexual orientation Percentage

Microagressions

92%

Verbal slurs

57%

Physical violence

3%

Threats

12%

Sexual harassment

28%

Sexual violence

3%

Other

7%

The most common reasons respondents did not report harassment due to sexual orientation was fear that their experiences would not be taken seriously (40%), fear of reprisal (26%), or because they had addressed the issue through an informal conversation with a supervisor or manager instead (30%).

Harassment due to Gender Identity

21. In the past five years, have you experienced harassment in the workplace due to your gender identity?

More than one fifth of respondents experienced harassment in the workplace due to their gender identity (22%).

Table 21 - Gender Identity harassment in workplace
In the past five years, have you experienced harassment in the workplace due to your gender identity? Percentage

Yes

22%

No

71%

Don’t know

7%

22. In the past five years, have you experienced harassment in the workplace due to your gender identity?

Transgender respondents (47% of transgender men and 45% of transgender women) were most likely to experience harassment in the workplace due to their gender identity compared to other gender identity groups.

Table 22 - Gender Identity harassment response in workplace by sexual orientation
In the past five years, have you experienced harassment in the workplace due to your gender identity? Transgender woman Cisgender woman Transgender man Cisgender man Gender diverse Non-Binary / Agender Two-Spirit

Yes

45%

17%

47%

6%

32%

36%

38%

No

45%

77%

45%

88%

58%

54%

55%

Don’t know

10%

6%

8%

6%

9%

9%

7%

23. In the past five years, have you experienced harassment in the workplace due to your gender identity?

Respondents from the “Racialized: Other Groups” (32%) population group were most likely to experience harassment in the workplace due to their gender identity, followed by Black African (31%) respondents, Indigenous respondents, and White and Racialized respondents (30% respectively).

Table 23 - Gender Identity harassment response in workplace by population group
Population Group and Indigenous Identity Yes No Don’t know

White

22%

72%

7%

South Asian

19%

72%

9%

East Asian

16%

76%

8%

South East Asian

17%

75%

8%

Middle Eastern / North African

21%

71%

8%

Black Caribbean

26%

62%

12%

Black African

31%

62%

7%

Latin American

19%

72%

9%

Racialized: Other Groups

32%

57%

11%

White and Racialized

30%

61%

9%

Indigenous

30%

62%

8%

24. Thinking only of the incidents of workplace harassment that you experienced in the last five years related to your gender identity what forms did they take?

The most common forms of workplace harassment experienced by respondents due to their gender identity were microaggressions (94%), verbal slurs (51%), and sexual harassment (28%).

Table 24 - Gender Identity harassment response in workplace by type
Most common forms of workplace harassment experienced by respondents due to their gender identity Percentage

Microagressions

94%

Verbal slurs

51%

Physical violence

5%

Threats

15%

Sexual harassment

28%

Sexual violence

3%

The most common reasons respondents did not report harassment due to gender identity were: fear that their experiences would not be taken seriously (42%), fear of reprisal (26%), or because they had addressed the issue through an informal conversation with a supervisor or manager instead (29%).

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