TORONTO – Apple CEO Tim Cook urged U.S. congress to support a bill that would make it illegal for employers to discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identification on Sunday in a piece in the Wall Street Journal.
Cook urged senators to support the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, which would bar employers with 15 or more workers from using a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity as the basis for their hiring decision.
“At Apple, we try to make sure people understand that they don’t have to check their identity at the door. We’re committed to creating a safe and welcoming workplace for all employees, regardless of their race, gender, nationality or sexual orientation,” said Cook in the Wall Street Journal op-ed, published Sunday.
Apple’s current antidiscrimination policy already prohibits discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees.
Current U.S. federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, race and national origin. But it doesn’t stop an employer from firing or refusing to hire workers because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.
If passed, the bill would protect employees in a number of workplace scenarios including hiring, firing, compensation or promotion.
“Those who have suffered discrimination have paid the greatest price for this lack of legal protection. But ultimately we all pay a price,” wrote Cook.
“If our coworkers cannot be themselves in the workplace, they certainly cannot be their best selves. When that happens, we undermine people’s potential and deny ourselves and our society the full benefits of those individuals’ talents.”
President Barack Obama also made a public statement urging Congress to pass the bill on Monday.
“Americans ought to be judged by one thing only in their workplaces: their ability to get their jobs done,” the president said in a message written for Huffingtonpost.com.
“Does it make a difference if the firefighter who rescues you is gay – or the accountant who does your taxes or the mechanic who fixes your car?”
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act is expected to pass its first major hurdle in the Senate Monday.
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