With DEI under threat, where do LGBTQ benefits fit?

Simply boasting a safe and inclusive environment for LGBTQ isn't enough — those communities also need  workplace support through policies, benefits and leadership backing.

Forty-eight percent of queer employees said they value allyship at work more than they did a few years ago, according to a recent survey from HR management company Randstad. Furthermore, 57% said it's up to their company to practice allyship  through inclusive policies within the organization, offering inclusive benefits, and taking a stance on LGBTQ issues publicly. 

"It's been a challenging six months for DEI work, specifically within historically marginalized communities like the LGBTQ+ community," says Antonio Cortes, managing director of people and organizational strategy at insurance broker OneDigital. "Executive orders have backtracked a lot of progress and commitment to this work. Pride means so much now, and this is a time when organizations can recommit themselves to advocacy in new ways that are meeting the moment." 

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So far in 2025, President Trump has signed six executive orders that would directly impact the lives of queer individuals, according to the National LGBTQ+ Bar's "Trump Anti-LGBTQ+ Executive Order Litigation Tracker." Among them, two orders are aimed specifically at ending DEI efforts and initiatives in federally funded and private organizations. While many organizations have been outspoken about their plans to continually support their marginalized communities, there needs to be actionable steps that follow. 

"When organizations think about how to structure their benefits package, it's important for them to meet with their LGBTQ+ staff and identify what are the unique needs that they have," Cortes says. "Will they have healthcare? What type of healthcare will they need? How expensive will it be for them to start a family? [Access to those benefits] shouldn't be another thing for them to worry about when they come to work." 

What it means to have inclusive benefits

Much of the progress organizations have made is in their family building benefits. In 2024, around 42% of companies offered fertility benefits, according to data from Maven Clinic, and 37% of companies offered paid leave for adoption, with reimbursement coverage also rising to 20%. All of those options are imperative for queer employees looking to start families of their own. However, there are other benefit blind spots leaders should be aware of. 

Queer employees have different healthcare needs than their straight counterparts, including access to gender-affirming care, hormone therapy and access, identity-specific counseling services and healthcare providers who are competent in those areas. Large organizations (5,000 employees and up) have a higher likelihood of providing this coverage, according to findings from health policy research non-profit KFF, but smaller to mid-sized companies are still lagging behind, with less than a quarter offering either gender-affirming hormone therapy or care. 

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"For folks that are receiving drugs like PREP — which has had a drastic impact on reducing the transmission of HIV and AIDS — there is a lot of hesitancy around whether they will have access to these drugs in the future," Cortes says. "These aren't just  sideline issues; these are life and death consequences for people." 

The first step to making sure that benefits are reaching every employee is to promote feedback from staff and center their experience, according to Cortes. With that information, benefit leaders can then meet with their insurance brokers to have conversations about what is currently being offered and where there are areas for improvement. It may seem like a large undertaking with potentially higher associated costs, but it may be the only way to retain queer employees, especially now. 

"The business community has an opportunity to fill that void and apply pressure in meaningful ways that would create change in someone's life," he says. "It's not a huge risk to take; it's just doing right by your people."