Software company offers its transgender staff an extra four weeks paid leave, $54,400 for surgery and a $500 'wardrobe allowance'
- Global IT company Salesforce introduces Gender Inclusive benefit package
- Includes extra leave and costs toward gender affirmation, including surgery
- Package backed by its Australian CEO in providing support to transgender staff
Salesforce has introduced a transgender employee benefits package which includes four extra weeks of paid leave and $54,400 towards gender affirmation surgeries along with prescription drugs, hormonal therapy and hair transplant/removal costs.
There's also a $500 wardrobe allowance, $1000 towards legal costs of updating the gender status on birth certificates, licences and other government documents and couselling services for staff and their loved ones.
An employee advocacy program has also been set up to provide LGBTQ staff support with belonging, equity, and career navigation.
The Gender Inclusive benefit package for Salesforce staff worldwide was announced this week to coincide with Transgender Awareness Week.
The aim is to remove barriers as possible for transgender and non-binary employees to live their best lives.
'We really want to make sure that employees, regardless of which country they're in, can access the type of benefits and support that help them live as their authentic self,' Salesforce Australian chief executive Pip Marlow told the Australian Financial Review.
'If you don't put real money and investment behind your values, you're not really living them.'
Until now, gender affirmation coverage and leave was only restricted to Salesforce staff in the US.
'At Salesforce, we believe everyone deserves to be who they are — and that doing so makes each of us the happiest and healthiest version of ourselves,' a company statement read.
'We're working hard to build a culture that makes everyone feel safe, valued, seen, and heard and believe these new benefits are an important step on that journey.'
The decision was welcomed by Salesforce New Zealand solutions engineer Manu Erwin, who initially thought she would have to foot the $62,000 bill for her affirmation surgery after she came out as a transgender woman this year.
'I had just been to the surgeon and was thinking 'I have a new savings goal', so to hear about the benefits package … it's life changing from a financial perspective,' Ms Erwin told the AFR.
'The biggest benefit is the fact that it exists at all.'
Ms Marlow predicts more companies to follow their lead and believes the Covid-19 pandemic has taught businesses to take better care of the wellbeing of its staff.
Salesforce also recently extended its perks to all Australian employees, including claiming home gym equipment as an expense and a $100 a day allowance to cover 20 days of 'emergency back-up childcare'.
Employees are also encouraged to spend less time in the office while the company's Sydney base is experimenting with floor plans with a shift from office space to collaboration areas with a focus on moving away from the standard working week.
The company has been listed by Great Place To Work Australia for the last six years as one of the best places in the country to work for.
Founded in 1999, Salesforce has grown to 59 offices in 28 countries around the globe.
The company had more than 36,000 employees in 2018
Aussie company Salesforce offers transgender staff extra paid leave
A global IT company is assisting its Australian and New Zealand transgender employees in their transition to gender affirmation with a new benefit package.
Aussie company offers transgender staff extra paid leave, $54,400 for…
archived 16 Nov 2021 11:05:29 UTC
