As several U.S. states enact legislation restricting gender-affirming care, Indeed Inc. is offering US$10,000 to transgender employees or those with transgender children who want to relocate, according to a report by the Financial Post.
The hiring company will cover any tax liability created by the payment, which is considered income, said Misty Gaither, Indeed’s vice-president of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, in the report. The relocation stipend matches the $10,000 annual limit for reimbursement for travel out of state for medical treatment.
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The report noted Sam Burger, a 30-year-old senior content creator who moved from Texas to Colorado, is one of only a few employees who have accepted the relocation payment. “As soon as I found out I was getting the money, it was very much like a weight lifted,” said Burger, recognizing that many transgender workers don’t have the same options.
More than 20 states have passed laws aimed at restricting gender-affirming care for minors, according to LGBTQ2S+ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign. It reported Texas, Florida, Tennessee and North Dakota are among the recent states that have passed the new laws.
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