(Washington) A new report on workplace equality shows rapid expansion of protections for transgender workers in the private sector over the past decade.

The report was prepared by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the HRC.

It found that currently 35 percent – a total of 175 – of the Fortune 500 businesses have gender identity protections, including 60 of the top 100 Fortune-ranked businesses.  In 2000, just three of the Fortune 500 businesses had such protections.

Furthermore, HRC said, 85 percent of the Fortune 500 businesses now have protections based on sexual orientation, compared to 51 percent in 2000.

“This report shows that the country’s largest and most competitive employers are most likely to have added protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation, setting consistent expectations of equal opportunity for their employees and job applicants regardless of where they work in the United States,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

The report also assesses the current state of employment laws and employer policies surrounding gender identity and sexual orientation throughout the United States.

For the first time, more than 100 cities and counties now prohibit employment discrimination based on both gender identity and sexual orientation.  Already, twelve states and the District of Columbia have protections in place.  An additional eight states and 80 cities and counties prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation alone.

In addition, the report said, more employers have improved benefits to ensure fair treatment of LGBT employees and their families.

Since 2006, a majority of Fortune 500 companies have offered benefits to same-sex partners of employees.  Today, 57 percent – a total of 286 – of the Fortune 500 companies offer domestic partner benefits.  Removing discriminatory exclusions for medically necessary, transgender-specific treatment is a rapidly-emerging trend, the report said.  Eighteen of the Fortune 100 now provide transgender-inclusive health insurance, compared to just one in 2001.

Several major California businesses publicly and financially opposed Proposition 8 in 2008, and more than 50 major businesses have joined the Business Coalition for Workplace Fairness, which supports passing federal legislation that would add both gender identity and sexual orientation to existing classes protected under federal employment law.

“Millions of people work in cities, counties and states where discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation is still legal. Particularly as so many workers are losing their jobs, no one should have to face the added worry of losing their job simply because of who they are. Employers and lawmakers alike should support the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act to establish clear and consistent expectations that workers should be evaluated based on their ability to do their job — and not based on their gender identity or sexual orientation,” said Solmonese in a statement.