Creating a truly inclusive workplace goes beyond statements and rainbow logos. One of the most impactful ways companies can support their LGBTQ+ employees is through thoughtful, equitable benefits.
At Healthee, we’ve learned that the best support often starts with removing hidden barriers and making sure employees can access care, build families, and thrive, regardless of their identity. Here’s a practical guide to help any company create a benefits program that genuinely supports LGBTQ+ team members.
LGBTQ+ employees often face additional financial and legal challenges when it comes to starting a family. Traditional benefits are often unintentionally exclusionary. Here’s how you can work to fix that:
For LGBTQ+ employees, healthcare access isn’t just about having coverage—it’s about feeling safe, seen, and respected when seeking care. Even if your company doesn’t currently offer a dedicated gender-affirming care package, there are meaningful ways to expand access and inclusivity within your existing benefits:
Telehealth can bridge geographic and psychological gaps in care. For LGBTQ+ employees who may not feel safe or supported by local providers, virtual care offers a discreet and flexible way to access affirming services. Prioritize plans and partners that offer 24/7 telehealth and include LGBTQ+-competent clinicians in their networks.
Partner with carriers and platforms that make it easy for employees to search for LGBTQ+-affirming providers. This includes primary care doctors, mental health specialists, and clinicians focused on sexual and reproductive health. Inclusive provider directories help employees make informed, empowered choices, and reduce the risk of stigma or misinformation during appointments.
Mental health care must reflect the lived realities of LGBTQ+ individuals. Look for provider networks and EAPs that offer therapists trained in LGBTQ+ experiences, including identity development, trauma, family dynamics, and discrimination.
Small words make a big difference. The way benefits are described can either include or exclude employees. I’ve found these three writing tips really helpful when crafting internal policies:
1. Use gender-neutral language: Replace “maternity leave” with “parental leave.” Say “employee and their partner” instead of “husband/wife.”
2. Clarify eligibility: Make it easy to understand if benefits cover domestic partners, same-sex spouses, or chosen family structures.
3. Invite feedback: Ask employees — especially from your LGBTQ+ community — what works, what’s missing, and how benefits can improve.
Benefits are only valuable if people know about them and feel safe using them. As future-thinking HR leaders, we need to plan and execute initiatives that put real value into our people’s hands:
Don’t let benefits season be a one-way announcement. Offer live or recorded walkthroughs that not only explain coverage but specifically call out what’s available to LGBTQ+ employees, like gender-affirming care, fertility support, and inclusive mental health options. Encourage open Q&A, and invite benefits partners or DEI leaders to join the conversation. These sessions are a chance to show you see and support every employee.
Privacy matters, especially for employees exploring sensitive benefits topics. Provide platforms (like Healthee) that allow team members to review benefits, compare providers, and ask health-related questions in a confidential environment. Giving employees autonomy over how and when they access care builds trust and promotes equitable utilization of your offerings.
Managers are often the first line of support, but not every manager knows how to respond when a team member is navigating a personal or healthcare-related challenge. Provide regular training on the benefits you offer, how to discuss them inclusively, and how to refer employees to HR or trusted platforms. When people leaders feel confident, employees are more likely to feel safe asking for support.
The needs of LGBTQ+ employees are not static. Laws shift, families grow, and identities evolve. Build in regular reviews of your benefits and keep the conversation open.
At Healthee, we continue to refine our offerings with input from employees, care partners, and experts. There’s always room to grow, and that’s a good thing.
Supporting LGBTQ+ employees starts with practical steps, not perfection. The more inclusive and accessible your benefits are, the more your employees will feel like they belong, not just in your company, but in the future you’re building together.
Use this checklist below to evaluate and improve your current offerings:
