SNAK Restaurants Limited T/A McDonald’s

Gender Identity Policy

At SNAK Restaurants T/A McDonald’s our aspiration is that all people feel included regardless of how
they choose to identify. That feeling of belonging and being able to fulfil your potential without fear
of discrimination is our primary focus. This policy outlines how we’ll support those who identify as
transgender, non-binary, gender fluid or are exploring their gender identity. This policy applies to all
our people at all levels in our restaurants and offices and is regularly reviewed and monitored (Any
demographic information that is stored in MyStuff 2.0 is not visible to managers, and all demographic
data is anonymised during monitoring activities.

Crucial Bits
We’re committed and will take all reasonable steps to ensure that we:
o respect and treat all of our people as individuals, without referencing their gender identity
where this isn’t necessary and being mindful of using preferred pronouns;
o offer support in the workplace relating to gender identity, including supporting those
considering or exploring the transition process; and
o promote awareness and understanding amongst our people in relation to gender identity, and
to build a support mechanism to promote awareness and understanding of what individuals
may experience in relation to their gender identity whilst at work.

If brought to our attention, we’ll investigate any issues of bullying or harassment or victimisation
under our Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy relating to gender identity, without delay. Bullying,
harassment and other misconduct in connection with gender identity will be treated as a disciplinary
matter in accordance with our Disciplinary Procedure and Anti-Harassment and Bullying Policy. It
may result in disciplinary action being taken against the perpetrator (up to and including dismissal).

More Info

Work
We understand that navigating the workplace as transgender, non-binary or a gender fluid person can
be a difficult experience and talking about your gender identity at work can feel daunting. There is no
hard and fast rule about what information you may choose to share and when the right time is to
share such information, if at all. The decision is yours and yours alone, and we will offer support
throughout.

The more we know early on, the more informed we’ll be and better able to support you, but, as we’ve
said above, whether you choose to share information relating to your gender identity is your choice.
If you would like to talk about your gender identity and feel like you can’t speak to your manager, you
can get in touch in confidence with our People Services Helpdesk or if you want to speak to someone
outside of work, we have an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) who’ll listen and help. Check out
Further Support towards the end of this policy for more information.

If you do decide you’d like to talk to us about your gender identity, we will work with you to ensure
you’re receiving the support you need. As part of this support you can decide whether you would like
others to be told and if so, how this should happen.
 SNAK Restaurants Limited T/A McDonald’s

Preferred Name / title change on MyStuff 2.0

If you want to change your preferred name or remove or change your title (Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms) from
our records on MyStuff 2.0, you don’t need a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC). You can simply
make these changes yourself on MyStuff 2.0. When you change your preferred name on MyStuff 2.0
this will change your preferred name across systems including Workplace, Campus & McHire.

At the moment we are unable to use preferred name in platforms such as MySchedule, but we are
hoping that this is something we can improve in the future.

We will change all applicable workplace records and documentation to reflect a change of pronoun,
legal name and/or gender at an agreed time following a written request from you and in accordance
with the Transition plan as set out below.

In order to change your legal name, which will update across all of our systems you will need to contact
People Services Helpdesk and provide them with documentation which confirms your name change.
This could be a Deed Poll certificate, a doctor’s letter which evidences intention to transition or driver’s
license (which can be changed with a doctor’s letter). Through changing your legal name this then
means your name will be updated across all systems including MySchedule.

Name badge
Some of our roles at McDonald’s require our people to wear a name badge. If you want to change the
name that appears on your badge, that’s OK. Speak to your manager who will be happy to support the
change, and you can also make a voluntary request for a name badge which includes your preferred
pronouns.

Uniforms
Some of our roles at McDonald’s require our people to wear a uniform. It’s OK if you want to
reasonably change items of your uniform, speak to your manager or if you feel uncomfortable doing
that, contact our People Services Helpdesk.

Toilets and changing rooms

It is your choice which toilet or changing room you use whilst at work and we will support whatever
choice you feel comfortable making. Please feel free to share any concerns with your manager, who
will work with you and support you. We’ll handle any requests and concerns sensitively.

Gender reassignment surgery and transitioning

If you decide to undergo reassignment surgery, we’ll support you through this. We’ll allow time off for
any appointments and will support you when you return to work after surgery. These are treated in
the same way as other medical appointments.

More generally, your manager will be happy to discuss with you any support that you may require
during and after your transition (whether social and/or physical). We recognise that each person’s
experience of transition is different, and we want to listen to you and support you through your
experience. However, you don’t need to tell us or your colleagues if you intend to transition.

With your consent, a transition action plan may be agreed, setting out the steps to be taken before,
during and after your transition. An initial meeting would be held to agree the plan, followed by
regular meetings to review and update the plan as necessary. The plan would normally be agreed
 SNAK Restaurants Limited T/A McDonald’s

between you, your manager or another manager or member of the HR department with who you feel
comfortable with.

A transition action plan may include:

• Timescales: dates for key changes such as to name, systems and documents.
• System records: determining which existing electronic and paper records need to be changed,
and what happens to pre-transition records.
• Communications: if, how and when colleagues and third parties such as customers and
pension and insurance providers will be informed, and what information will be provided.
• Facilities: the date it is agreed you can start to using toilet and changing room facilities
associated with your new gender identity.
• Absence: anticipated transition-related absences and how they will be dealt with.
• Role changes: any temporary or permanent role changes during your transition.

Changes to personnel records

If you do change your gender identity, we’ll confidentially update our personnel records.

Changing gender identity - the legal stuff

We may need to notify certain external organisations (for example, HMRC, payroll and pensions
providers) of a name and gender change. Disclosure will be made only on a ‘need to know’ basis, and
you’ll be informed before any such notification is made.

o When you change your gender legally through applying for a GRC, HMRC will usually update
their records with your new name and title automatically. To protect privacy, HMRC will add
a ‘sensitive case’ marker on your National Insurance record. Then only a limited group of
authorised HMRC officers can deal with your affairs.
o There may be a discrepancy between the gender McDonald’s quotes in any return for tax and
National Insurances purposes, and the legal gender on your National Insurance record. If
you’ve made HMRC aware of your change of gender, they’ll reach out to you directly should
they have any questions.
o Your National Insurance number will not change if there is legal change of gender.
o When you’re granted your GRC, you can ask the Gender Recognition Panel to notify HMRC of
your legal change of gender.
o Once HMRC has confirmed your change of gender by GRC, we must update our records to
reflect the legal gender on payroll and any other of our employment records, if we haven’t
already done so.

We understand that there is a lot of ‘legal stuff’ contained in this policy but we just want to ensure
that we share what we know so that we can support you in the best way possible. The next section
contains further information, key terminology and support.

Key terminology
We recognise that there are different preferred terms around gender and transitioning (and that
these aren’t exhaustive or universal). In this guide we’ve tried to be as inclusive and straightforward
as possible. We don’t expect our colleagues to know or remember all of these but we do expect
 SNAK Restaurants Limited T/A McDonald’s

them to have an open and respectful approach to transgender and gender diverse people.

• Acquired gender is a legal term referring to the gender in which a transgender person is
living and of which they can apply for legal recognition under the Gender Recognition Act
2004 (“GRA”).
• Affirmed gender is generally the preferred term for a transgender person's gender after
transitioning.
• Assigned gender is the gender a person is assigned at birth based on physical attributes.
• Cisgender describes a person whose gender identity aligns with the gender they were
assigned at birth.
• Gender dysphoria describes the strong, persistent discomfort or distress caused by the
inconsistency between a person's self-identified gender and the gender they were assigned
at birth.
• Gender diverse or gender fluid describes a person whose expression of gender may change
from day to day.
• Gender identity is how people interpret and view themselves; they might identify
themselves as the gender they were assigned at birth or differently or as binary, non-binary,
fluid or neutral.
• Gender neutral describes a person who does not subscribe to the binary approach to
gender.
• Gender reassignment is defined under the Equality Act 2010 as when a person is proposing
to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone a process (or part of a process) for the purpose
of reassigning the person's sex by changing physiological or other attributes of sex. No
medical intervention or processes are required.
• Intersex refers to people who are born with primary sex characteristics, such as genitals and
chromosome patterns, that do not fit with typical binary notions of male and female.
• Pronouns indicate the gender of a person being referred to. Transgender people may
indicate a preferred pronoun for use in referring to their gender. Some people, including
those who identify as non-binary, may prefer the use of third party pronouns such as
they/them.
• Misgendering is referring to a person using a word, especially a pronoun or a form of
address, which does not correctly reflect the gender with which they identify (e.g. calling
someone who identifies as a woman, “he” or “him”).
• Non-binary describes a person who does not subscribe to the binary approach to gender,
and who may regard themselves as neither male nor female, or both male and female, or
take another approach to gender entirely.
• Transgender describes a person whose gender identity does not match the gender they
were assigned at birth. Transgender is generally the preferred umbrella term rather than
transsexual.
• Transitioning is where a transgender person undergoes the process of aligning their social
and physical identity to match their gender identity.
Transsexual is defined under the Equality Act 2010 to mean a person who has the protected
characteristic of gender reassignment.
• Finally, gender identity is different from gender expression and sexual orientation. Gender
identity is how people interpret and view themselves within the context of wider society and
culture. Gender expression is how people present themselves – this might be feminine,
masculine, neutral or a combination and it might vary. Gender identity does not determine
who a person is sexually and/or romantically attracted to, for example, a transgender person
can be heterosexual (straight), gay, bi-sexual, pansexual, queer or asexual.
 SNAK Restaurants Limited T/A McDonald’s

Further Support
People Services Helpdesk
If you have any questions…

If you’ve got any questions, speak to your manager, or get in touch with our People Services Helpdesk,
using their online portal: People Services Portal | Live Chat

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

EAP provides 24/7 access to telephone and online advice and support. Information, support and
counselling are available for many common aspects of life, including family issues, challenging
situations, emotional help and advice. Don’t worry using EAP is completely confidential to you.
Simply call 0800 072 7 072 – it’s free, or visit https://axabesupported.co.uk/

Doctor@Hand
It may be difficult to get an appointment with your GP. We operate a service that can allow you a
consultation with a virtual GP. If you are eligible to AXA PPP cover you can access this service. Check
out the FAQ document and poster available via the AXA PPP intranet pages for more information and
to check if you’re eligible to this service.

External sources of information and advice you may find useful

www.inclusiveemployers.co.uk - the UKs leading inclusion and diversity experts, working with
employers to create inclusive workplaces.

www.stonewall.org.uk - Stonewall is a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights charity in the
UK.

www.scottishtrans.org - works to improve gender identity and gender reassignment equality, rights
and inclusion in Scotland.

www.transgenderwales.bravepages.com - supports transgendered people in Wales.

www.transgenderni.com - supports transgendered people in Northern Ireland.

www.depend.org.uk - offers free confidential advice, information and support to all family
members, spouses, partners and friends of transsexual people in the UK.

www.gendertrust.org.uk - supporting all those affected by gender identity issues.

www.northernconcord.org.uk Northern Concord is a Manchester based transvestite, transgendered

and transsexual support and social group.

www.translondon.org.uk TransLondon is a discussion/support group for all members of the ‘trans’

community, whatever their gender identity (or identities).

Samaritans – Contact Us | Samaritans - Samaritans provide 24 hour support for anyone who is
struggling with a wide range of issues. You can call them on 116 123 for support, or alternatively visit
their website for other ways you can contact them for support.

Please be aware that this policy isn’t contractual and may be amended at any time.