UBS, Moody’s Latest Financial Service Firms to Support Employment Non-Discrimination Act

UBS and Moody’s – two leading financial service firms – are the latest major companies to back the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (or ENDA), legislation expected to come to the Senate floor this fall that would ban workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Americans for Workplace Opportunity announced the support of the two organisations today, adding to a long list of Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and supermajorities of Republicans and Democrats, all of whom back ENDA. Currently, in a majority of states, there are no laws prohibiting an employer from firing or refusing to hire someone simply because he or she is gay or transgender.

“Our nation’s largest companies are among those leading the way for ENDA,” said Matt McTighe, Americans for Workplace Opportunity campaign manager. “Businesses know that in an increasingly global and competitive marketplace, attracting and retaining top talent is key to success. That means evaluating employees based on their hard work and merit, not on whether they’re gay or transgender.”

UBS and Moody’s are the latest in a string of major companies to back ENDA – Groupon and Proctor & Gamble have joined in the last two weeks. Other supporters include Bank of America, Capital One, Citigroup, Coca-Cola, General Mills, Nike, and US Airways. A full list of the more than 100 major companies supporting ENDA can be found here.

ENDA passed out of a key Senate committee earlier this summer by a 15-7 bipartisan vote – with support from Republican Senators Mark Kirk (IL), Lisa Murkowski (AK) and Orrin Hatch (UT). Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he wants to bring the bill to the floor this fall.

Nearly 80 percent of Americans support workplace protections for LGBT Americans – including 77 percent of observant Christians, 72 percent of Deep South residents, and 70 percent of Republicans. The legislation is so common-sense that nine in ten Americans mistakenly believe it’s already federal law.

“It’s not just our nation’s largest businesses that are increasingly speaking out in support of ENDA – it’s Americans from all walks of life,” added McTighe. “Republican or Democrat, we all share the value that everyone in this nation should have the opportunity to get a job and provide for their families. That’s what ENDA does, and that’s why the Senate must pass this legislation this year.”

Americans for Workplace Opportunity (www.workplaceopportunity.org) is the campaign to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act through Congress.  It is led by a diverse, bipartisan steering committee of eight organizations representing millions of Americans who support ENDA. Those organizations include the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Federation of Teachers, the American Unity Fund, Gill Action, the Human Rights Campaign, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the National Center for Transgender Equality, the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, and the Service Employees International Union.