Today I got this information in an email from Equality Forum, I thought it was important enough to pass on...
RECORD 477 (95.4%) of
FORTUNE 500
PROVIDE SEXUAL ORIENTATION PROTECTION
President Obama, Vice President Biden and
Congressman Ryan Support ENDA
Equality Forum reported that a record 477 (95.4%) of the 2012 FORTUNE 500 Companies
voluntarily include sexual orientation in their employment
non-discrimination policies. Starting in 2004, Equality Forum in
collaboration with Professor Louis Thomas, Wharton School of the
University of Pennsylvania and Ian Ayres, William K. Townsend Professor,
Yale Law School has made the business case to FORTUNE 500 CEOs, HR
Directors and members of their Board of Directors as well as made the
shareholder case to their largest institutional shareholders. In 2004,
there were 323 (64.6%) of the FORTUNE 500 Companies that provided sexual
orientation workplace protection.
“Ninety
percent (90%) of Americans mistakenly believe that sexual orientation
workplace protection is provided under the federal Employment
Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). Twenty-one states and the District of
Columbia mandate workplace sexual orientation protection,” stated
Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director, Equality Forum. “In most of America,
gays and lesbians can be fired solely because of their sexual
orientation and without any misconduct or violation of corporate
policy.”
This
is the first time that the Republican vice presidential candidate and
the Democratic presidential and vice presidential candidates support
passage of ENDA. President Obama and Vice President Biden support the
inclusion of sexual orientation in federal ENDA. In 2007, Congressman
Paul Ryan voted in favor of the unsuccessful attempt to amend ENDA to
include sexual orientation and gender identity.
While
Gov. Romney opposes workplace discrimination, he is not on record as
supporting ENDA to include sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
“Equality
Forum calls on Senators Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid and Speaker John
Boehner and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi to include sexual orientation
and gender identity in ENDA and pass that amendment to ENDA in the lame
duck session of Congress,” stated Lazin. “The Republican vice
presidential nominee and Democratic presidential and vice presidential
nominees, the FORTUNE 500 companies and public opinion support including
sexual orientation in the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
There is overwhelming bipartisan and business support for protecting
LGBT Americans in the workplace and no rational basis for delay.”
According
to recent polls, over 75% of Americans support the inclusion of sexual
orientation in federal ENDA including a majority of Democrats,
Republicans, Independents, seniors, Catholics and small business owners,
among others.
To
find the 23 (4.6%) of the 2012 FORTUNE 500 companies that do not
provide sexual orientation protection and the 477 (95.4%) that do
provide sexual orientation protection, visit www.equalityforum.com/fortune500.
'Team Lesbian' Junior Fitted Tee (Google Affiliate Ad)
'Team Lesbian' Junior Fitted Tee (Google Affiliate Ad)
