Consequences of disclosure of sexual orientation in the workplace

All Australian businesses are governed by legislation aiming to prevent workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and sexual identity with serious penalties applying to companies found contravening legislation. While other Australian studies have examined these issues, Queensland has either not been included or relevant data is not easily identified. This paper presents the results of an exploratory study using a quantitative survey to determine the consequences of disclosure of a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity to colleagues in workplaces in Queensland. Results suggest that while gay, lesbian and bisexual (GLB) workers are more open to disclosing their sexuality as a consequence they are experiencing more discrimination in the workplace, despite anti-discrimination policies. This suggests the need to further investigate companies’ compliance with workplace legislation.