Trans community and summer dress code.

• Position: Business Attire

With summer temperatures climbing, employees are looking for ways to keep cool while in the office, but what happens when office dress codes are biased towards the cis community? "Summer dress codes present a big issue for many companies," says Rob Wilson, president of Employco USA, Westmont, Ill. "Many dress codes are seen as transphobic."

So, how do companies create a comprehensive and equitable dress code for men and women, including those in the LGBTQIA community? Wilson suggests:

Do not use gender-specific language in your company policies. "For example, instead of saying, 'Women should not wear miniskirts,' or 'Men must wear a tie,' simply state, 'No miniskirts' or 'Business professional attire required.' Do not assume that all of your employees identify as cis-sexual or that they all dress according to specific gender stereotypes."

What is good for the goose is good for the gander. "If you allow your female staff to wear dark nail polish and edgy hair styles like pastel dye, then realize that is setting a precedent for the entire office. This means that all of your employees--including transwomen or men or those who identify as nonbinary--will expect to have equal rights when it comes to expressing their fashion tastes. If you want to limit such expressions of individuality, then make a policy that only light nail polish is allowed and that no extreme hair colors or styles are permitted."

Understand that many...