SAN FRANCISCO (December 8, 2011) – Littler Mendelson, P.C. (Littler), the nation’s largest employment and labor law firm representing management, has been named one of the “Best Places to Work” for the fourth year in a row and earned a perfect score of 100 in a recent report rating American workplaces on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equity. The survey, Corporate Equality Index (CEI), is administered annually by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest advocacy group for LGBT Americans.
“We are proud that Littler continues to be recognized as a “Best Place to Work” and once again earned a top rating from the HRC Foundation,” said Marko Mrkonich, president and managing director of the firm. “Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is emphasized at every level at Littler, and our performance in the CEI is especially encouraging as we continue to enhance our efforts both inside and outside the firm.”
The purpose of the CEI is to positively impact the lives of LGBT employees by creating an index that would assess how corporate America was treating LGBT workers. Ratings are based on factors including non-discrimination policies, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity training, and employer-provided benefits for domestic partners and transgender employees. Littler’s perfect score was based on information submitted by the firm, as well as independent research conducted by the HRC Foundation.
As part of Littler’s ongoing effort to raise awareness of LGBT issues both in and out of the workplace, this year, the firm was part of the groundbreaking “It Gets Better” movement. Littler created two educational videos geared towards youth and professionals. The firm’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Ally (LGBTA) Affinity Group, a group focused on providing support, development and networking opportunities for LGBTA attorneys and professional staff, coordinated this project in which firm lawyers spoke up and participated in video messages, sharing their personal stories and experiences. To view the videos, visit Littler Diversity.
“This year’s CEI tells a powerful story of American businesses working to meet that higher bar,” said Joe Solmonese, president of the HRC Foundation. “A remarkable 190 businesses succeeded in scoring 100 percent. This rating reflects equal health care coverage for all LGBT employees and their families, including full parity for domestic partner benefits not only in basic medical coverage, but in dependent care, retirement and other benefits that affect families’ financial and medical well-being. The 100 percent rating
signifies groundbreaking coverage for medically necessary care of transgender individuals— a community that has historically been categorically denied medical coverage.”
In total, the 2012 CEI officially rates 277 Fortune 500 businesses, 65 Fortune 1000 businesses, 134 AmLaw 200 firms and 160 additional major businesses. An additional 214 Fortune 500 businesses have unofficial ratings, bringing the total to 850 rated businesses. Visit the HRC website to view the complete report.
About the Human Rights Campaign Foundation
As the largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, the Human Rights Campaign represents a force of more than one million members and supporters nationwide — all committed to making HRC's vision a reality. Founded in 1980, HRC advocates on behalf of LGBT Americans, mobilizes grassroots actions in diverse communities, invests strategically to elect fair-minded individuals to office and educates the public about LGBT issues.
About Littler Mendelson
With more than 850 attorneys and 52 offices, Littler Mendelson is the largest U.S.-based law firm exclusively devoted to representing management in employment and labor law matters. As the only U.S. member of the Ius Laboris global alliance, Littler has extensive resources to address the needs of multi-national clients, from navigating international employment laws and labor relations issues to applying corporate policies worldwide. Established in 1942, the firm has litigated, mediated and negotiated some of the most influential employment law cases and labor contracts on record.