Every year, millions of Americans make difficult decisions about their jobs when facing some of life’s most challenging moments and significant events. However, many working people — and especially those who identify as LGBTQ+ — face significant barriers when needing to take time off to care for themselves or for loved ones. For the estimated 1.8 million LGBTQ+ people of color in the American workforce, existing forms of discrimination can further limit access to paid parental, family care and medical leave.

HRC Foundation released the U.S. LGBTQ+ Paid Leave Survey report, featuring the responses of 5,433 LGBTQ+ people representing all 50 states, varying ages, and a variety of sectors. This report briefly explores the survey responses of 1,883 LGBTQ+ respondents of color, including their experiences requesting and taking paid and unpaid leave.