Canadian HR Reporter

CANADIAN HR REPORTER MAY 2019 10 NEWS said Elizabeth Saewyc, executive director at the Stigma and Resil- ience Among Vulnerable Youth Centre and nursing professor at the University of British Colum- bia in Vancouver. "Having an additional insur- ance with work that does provide some of those necessary surgery supports or… partially supports some of those out-of-pocket ex- penses is really something that seems quite benefi cial," she said. "It really is a benefi t to have that kind of support." "Equally important is the mes- sage that it sends from employers to their employees. is coverage says, 'We recognize and value you and your health care is also im- portant to us.'" Employers off ering gender af- fi rmation benefi ts could see bet- ter health outcomes amongst staff along with increased work attendance and less time lost to sick days, said Saewyc. "Getting one's health care tak- en care of and making it accessi- ble and aff ordable certainly tends to be really good for employers," she said. "By providing this sort of cover- age as part of the insurance pack- age that an employer is off ering to their employees, it says, 'We take equity seriously. We recog- nize that your health needs are important.'" Offering gender affirmation benefi ts will make for more di- verse and inclusive workforces, said Parsons. "Knowing that the insurer is going to approve gender affi rm- ing surgeries makes it an attrac- tive recruitment and retention policy, certainly for employers that would be at risk of losing somebody to a like organization simply on that basis." While employers won't have legal obligations to add the cov- erage to benefi ts plans, many will as a recruitment and well-being perk, he said. " ose type of policy decisions over what is insured, and what's not insured are diffi cult. It would be pretty diffi cult to advance a case on the basis of liability for not paying for the additional coverage in the plan." Coverage costs will vary, ac- cording to Côté. "It's quite complicated to just state a cost because it var- ies by group, by demographic, by funding type, by benefit maximum." e benefi t works in a similar fashion to other extended health- care options, with annual and lifetime maximums set by plan sponsors, she said. In conjunction with the per- son's provincial or territorial health-care plan, Sun Life's core coverage will reimburse some procedures not covered by their place of residence. And as each transition journey is unique, so is the recovery pro- cess, said Côté. With that in mind, there is no general recovery timeline associ- ated with coverage, though plan sponsors are encouraged to talk to employees to determine appro- priate timelines for a safe return to work, she said. Additionally, recovery time depends on the type of surgery, which can include several proce- dures, said Saewyc. " ere are a number of diff er- ent kinds of surgeries depending on the needs of the particular person, depending on their gen- der and transitions, whether we're talking about chest surgery, top surgery, bottom surgery, facial reconstruction or other kinds of things," she said. "Each of those surgeries may have very diff erent recovery times." Coverage for psychological and mental health issues associated with gender affi rmation journeys are already available through various other benefits, said Côté. "We know that mental, emo- tional and physical well-being could be part of the areas that tie into not feeling connected to one's gender." Advice for HR The gender affirmation benefit off ering provides an opportunity for employers to refl ect, according to Parsons. "Whether you've got the cover- age or not, it's a timely topic for employers and particularly senior HR staff to be having a conversa- tion about and training people with respect to." Even without providing the coverage, an employer may need to go through the process of hav- ing an employee transition by us- ing personal funds, he said. And pressure on plan sponsors could increase when employ- ees begin to understand their insurance carrier provides gen- der affirmation coverage, said Parsons. " at's just the natural if-you- build-it, they-will-come kind of deal. If that's the case, HR professionals need to be aware that there's important privacy requirements under privacy law, and depending on the prov- ince you're in, there's diff erent legislation." While medical procedures typically are highly confi dential, broader communication with staff could be preferred by a tran- sitioning employee. HR must be mindful to handle each situation with sensitivity, said Parsons. For example, in the absence of gender-neutral washrooms, accessibility policy should be addressed. And if human resources is updating respectful workplace policies, it is appropriate to make mention of expanded grounds under human rights codes — in- cluding protection for expressed gender identity and gender ex- pression, he said. There are workplace guides on how to respect preferred pronouns, navigate transitions, and respect confi dentiality, said Saewyc. "A lot of times, people haven't necessarily given a lot of thought to it, or if they haven't encoun- tered a lot of gender diverse people in their lives, they may not know how to actually provide a respectful, inclusive environ- ment," she said. "Obviously, the privacy and confidentiality around health- care coverage and health-care issues is just as important for these kinds of health issues as it is for cardiac bypass surgery or cancer." And while the additional bene- fi ts are a step forward, more work still needs to be done. Employers valuing diversity could encourage organizational audits, or form fo- cus groups that help keep work- place policy up to date on minor- ity issues, said Saewyc. "In our society, although we are making great progress in paying attention to equity and diversity, there's always ways that we can up our game," she said. " ere's defi nitely more that we can do to create environ- ments that support and recognize and celebrate the diversity of our workforces." However, as many employers do a benefi ts review annually, it may take some time for this ben- efi t to be added to many plans, said Parsons. "As part of standard operation, most companies aren't tweaking them throughout the year." Cost will also be a factor for plan sponsors, though an in- ability to provide coverage does not mean HR professionals are not required to gain training and understanding about work- place procedures in this area, he said. "People will still go and get it done," said Parsons. "And so just having that conversation is im- portant and being prepared... if somebody comes to HR and says, 'Look, I'm transgender. I'm look- ing to transition. I'm going to be taking part in this surgery.'" "Knowing that this request could come to your desk, it's good to be educated about how to go about a plan about keeping that information confi dential and on a need-to-know basis." Privacy, confi dentiality are key considerations TRANSGENDER < pg. 1 Expenses reimbursed Sun Life's offering will provide fi nancial support to plan members by reimbursing expenses covered by their workplace plan. Employers can offer two types of coverage: • core coverage: For basic surgical procedures not covered under the individual's provincial or territorial health-care plan (for example: reduction of the Adam's apple or voice surgery) • enhanced coverage: For surgical procedures to align feminine or masculine features to the transitioned gender, such as facial bone reduction or cheek augmentation. Procedures that would fall under Sun Life's core and enhanced gender affi rmation coverage include: Core: • remove or create penis and testicles • remove or create vagina, clitoris, labia • augment or remove breasts • shave Adam's apple • voice surgery • remove uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes • add penile/testicular implants • create scrotum. Enhanced: • facial bone reduction (brow and jaw), eye lift, face lift, rhinoplasty • lipofi lling, gluteal implants • liposuction/contouring of the torso/waist • hair reconstruction • facial bone reconstruction (brow, chin) • cheek augmentation. ipm The Professional Recruiter Full Accreditation Program on Mixed Media USB Flash Drive Institute of Professional Management 2210-1081 Ambleside Drive, Ottawa, ON, K2B 8C8 Tel: (613) 721-5957 Toll Free: 1-888-441-0000 This new mixed media package includes a text-based USB Flash Drive with participant workbook and exam. Works on Mac and PC. valid until June 12, 2019 Details at : www.workplace.ca/CANHR-Reporter.html $745 regular $945 ... save $200 This program covers a set of key recruitment and selection skills. The goal is to help you reduce recruitment costs, lower the risk of bad hiring decisions and avoid needless litigation. Successful completion of all 3 Modules makes you eligible for membership in the Association of Professional Recruiters of Canada, APRC, with the RPR (Registered Professional Recruiter) designation. "Knowing that the insurer is going to approve gender affi rming surgeries makes it an attractive recruitment and retention policy."

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