Numbers have been released that state four out of 10 LGBT workers report feeling bullied at their place of employment because of their sexual orientation. This is  11 percentage points higher than the national average of all workers combined, according to a Harris Poll for CareerBuilder., which surveyed 3,420 employees, including 238 LGBT workers.

The findings state that the LGBT workers say that  they were picked on for their personal attributes, such as their appearance or gender, while 47 percent said they were gossiped about. LGBT workers also said they were ignored, falsely accused of mistakes or judged on different standards than other workers. 

The number of LGBT workplace bullying has grown since the 2016 election, said David Kilmnick, CEO of The LGBT Network.

“It has such a negative impact, not only to the LGBT person, which is a given. If you’re being bullied for who you are, it will impact how one feels safe in one’s workplace.  Taking the issue to HR might not always solve the problem because not all employers are prepared to handle workplace bullying, Kilmnick said. He added that his group is stepping up workplace training to help businesses build a more inclusive workplace.”

The impact on workers can be long-lasting, CareerBuilder said. About one out of five LGBT workers who said they were bullied at work had health-related problems because of it, while 15 percent said they had called in sick because of the bullying. 

Workers who are experiencing bullying should take notes to document their interactions with the bully and keep them in a safe place, CareerBuilder said. Sometimes standing up to the bully can work, with about 20 percent of bullied workers saying the behavior stopped after they confronted their aggressor.

32 states currently DO NOT have LGBT non-discrimination and work place protection laws in place