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Sexual orientation plays part in pay gap
February 24, 2020
Lesbian, gay and bisexual community members continue to find themselves on the lower end of the pay scale when compared to their heterosexual male counterparts – findings one researcher says call for further exploration and could support the inclusion of sexual orientation in employment equity legislation.
Currently, the Federal Employment Equity Act says federally regulated industries have to take specific measures to accommodate four groups in the workplace – women, visible minorities, Indigenous and those with disabilities.
“Lesbians, gays and bisexuals are not part of the group,” Sociology professor Sean Waite explained. “I feel that would be a nice first step to embrace diversity and would force federally regulated industries, including universities, to keep numbers of lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals within their organization and take steps to accommodate diversity and difference in the labour market.”