Episode 3: Dan Merkan ~ Director of Policy at JASMYN

This month we are emphasizing and celebrating the LGBTQ population in the workplace. We are joined today by Dan Merkan from JASMYN, a Florida-based organization that supports and empowers LGBTQ young people by creating safe space, providing health and wholeness services, and offering youth development opportunities, while bringing people and resources together to promote equity and human rights. Dan speaks with us about how policy impacts workplace culture and creates inclusivity and safety for LGBTQ employees, particularly those who may be considering options to grow their families through adoptions or surrogacy.

Links:

• Human Rights Campaign – Resources for Employers

  • One particular HRC resource outlines FMLA-equivalent benefits for domestic partners in large US companies.

• Lambda Legal – State-specific information about laws and legislation that impact LGBTQ individuals

  • State-specific adoption laws can be found under “Parenting” sub-category within each state’s resources.

• The Movement Advancement Project – extensive data and policy analysis on issues specific to LGBTQ individuals

  • Includes categories specific to adoption and employment.

Dan Merkan can be reached at dmerkan@jasmyn.org. To learn more about Florida-based JASMYN, visit www.jasmyn.org.