11:45 AM – Apple’s CEO Tim Cook has recently expression his concern and interest to Congress to pass the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal. This is a rare occurrence, however it’s good to see that someone is stepping up to show complete support for it.
In the letter, Tim Cook shows support for the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA). He expresses his concern so that Congress would approve the bill and have it go into effect right away. The company has already had its own policy set in place similar to what this bill is meant to do.
What is the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, exactly? The Employment Non-Discrimination Act is a legislation proposed in the United States Congress that would prohibit discrimination in hiring and employment on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity by civilian, nonreligious employers with at least 15 employees.
Here’s an excerpt as to what Cook had to say:
“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.
As we see it, embracing people’s individuality is a matter of basic human dignity and civil rights. It also turns out to be great for the creativity that drives our business. We’ve found that when people feel valued for who they are, they have the comfort and confidence to do the best work of their lives.
Apple’s anti-discrimination policy goes beyond the legal protections U.S. workers currently enjoy under federal law, most notably because we prohibit discrimination against Apple’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees. A bill now before the U.S. Senate would update those employment laws, at long last, to protect workers against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”
Tim Cook has shown more support for things such as the ENDA than Steve Jobs ever did before. It’s good to see someone stepping up to help make a difference. The Senate is going to take a vote on ENDA later this afternoon.
