The City of Dallas requires employees to undergo mandatory transgender reeducation training at taxpayers expense whenever a coworker chooses to transition to a different gender, according to internal documents obtained by The Dallas Express.
The City’s Workplace Gender Transition Protocols & FAQ document, sometimes referred to by City staff as the “gender transition toolkit,” mandates that non-transitioning workers undergo reeducation training in order “to support an inclusive and productive workplace environment for all employees.”
The transition protocol has been heralded by City staff as an initiative undertaken to improve retention, as reported by The Dallas Express.
The protocol explains that the transitioning employee and his or her designated “first point of contact” create a workplace transition plan to facilitate the changes. As part of the plan, the team will “[d]ecide what, if any, mandatory training will be offered to coworkers and plan for training, if needed, to take place prior to the employee’s return to work.”
Based upon the language used here, whether or not a training session takes place would appear to be left up to the transitioning employee. If that employee opts for such training to take place, however, then attendance by the employee’s coworkers is mandatory.
The protocol repeatedly refers to the training as being “mandatory” — a total of five times.
During the staff meeting where the gender transition will be publicized, the City stipulates, “The date for mandatory team training should be announced at this meeting. This training shall occur before the date of the employee’s workplace transition.”
If the employee wants the announcement to be made in writing, supervisors are instructed to “[i]ndicate the date mandatory training will take place” in the written communication. Supervisors are also informed, “This training shall occur before the date of the employee’s workplace transition.”
Alternatively, if the transitioning employee wants the announcement to be made at a meeting, supervisors are informed, “The date for mandatory team training should be announced at this meeting.”
In a later section titled “How Transitioning Employees Can Prepare,” which addresses the transitioning employee directly, there is a subsection titled “Training,” which states: “Mandatory training will be provided to your immediate coworkers prior to your first day transitioned in the workplace.”
Furthermore, the transitioning employee is asked, “Do you wish to attend this training? Is there specific information to your job/department/role that you would like to see addressed?”
The protocol reiterates a fifth time that the transitioning employee should “[d]iscuss appropriate timing for mandatory training to be provided to your colleagues. This will likely occur after your transition has been announced, but prior to the first day of your workplace gender transition.”
For those who might have personal or religious objections, the City of Dallas says, “It is not required that City employees ‘believe in’ or accept an individual’s right to be transgender or undergo a gender transition.”
“Employees are entitled to their beliefs, but we are all required to treat the transitioning employee, and all employees, with equity and respect,” the protocol continues.
However, as reported by The Dallas Express, according to the protocol, if an employee refuses to use the pronouns or feels uncomfortable doing so, he or she risks being reprimanded or even terminated.
The Dallas Express asked the City to clarify the protocol’s requirements for mandatory training but did not receive a response prior to publication.