Microsoft, along with Nike and RealNetworks, believe Washington’s failure to recognise gay marriage has gone on long enough. So they’ve called out the state government, pushing for legislators to pass the two gay marriage bills currently circulating through their chambers.
According to the Atlantic, Microsoft, citing the need for equality in order to attract the best employees to their company, issued the following statement on their blog:
As other states recognise marriage equality, Washington’s employers are at a disadvantage if we cannot offer a similar, inclusive environment to our talented employees, our top recruits and their families. Employers in the technology sector face an unprecedented national and global competition for top talent.
Despite progress made in recent years with domestic partnership rights, same-sex couples in Washington still hold a different status from their neighbours. Marriage equality in Washington would put employers here on an equal footing with employers in the six other states that already recognise the committed relationships of same-sex couples — Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. This in turn will help us continue to compete for talent.
Hard to disagree with that. [The Atlantic]
Image: Nils Geylen