Tim Cook Urges Congress To Approve Employment Nondiscrimination Act
by Joe White
November 4, 2013
Given the renowned secrecy of his company, Tim Cook doesn't often partake in interviews, let alone pen newspaper op-eds. However, the chief executive officer of Apple has published a recent opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal, urging the U.S. Congress to approve a bill that would "protect workers against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity."
In the article, titled "Workplace Equality Is Good for Business," Cook explains how race, gender, and sexual orientation don't enter the equation at Apple, adding that the Cupertino, Calif. company has striven to create "a safe and welcoming workplace for all employees, regardless of their race, gender, nationality, or sexual orientation."
He writes:
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 antidiscrimination 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.The U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on the bill today, Nov. 4. Indeed, Tim Cook's media appearances have, in the past, naturally tended to concern Apple's products. In September, Cook, along with Jony Ive and Craig Federighi, gave a rare interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, in which the trio discussed the iPhone, iOS 7, and Apple's competition. In June, he talked to staff and students at Duke University, and before this, Cook took part in AllThingsD's annual conference. See also: To Bed Goes 2.0 With Support For Weekend Reminders And Other Improvements, British Government Calls In Security To Remove iPads From Cabinet Meeting, and Totally Awesome Calca App Gets Redesigned For iOS 7, Updated With New Features.
