Read the article in the Washington Blade.
Equality Virginia Statement on Governor Mark R. Warner Adding “Sexual Orientation” To State Workforce Employment Rules
Click here to send a free email to thank Governor Warner.
(Richmond, December 16) — Equality Virginia today applauded Governor Mark R. Warner for amending the equal opportunity policy of the Commonwealth to prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation.
“Governor Warner continues his commitment to run the Commonwealth as a smart, well-managed business. When Virginia’s top employers, including 14 of the 19 Fortune 500 companies based here have non-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation, it makes sense for Virginia to do the same. To compete in the marketplace for top-notch employees, you need to offer similar policies,” said Dyana Mason, Executive Director of Equality Virginia. “Sixty members of the House of Delegates and 24 Virginia Senators have already made commitments not to discriminate in their legislative hiring. It makes sense to extend this same protection to the entire Virginia state workforce.”
Background on non-discrimination policies including “sexual orientation”:
Of the top ten largest private employers in the Commonwealth, at least eight have sexual orientation protections in their non-discrimination policies:
* Wal-Mart (#1)
* Northrop Grumman Newport News (#2)
* Food Lion (#3)
* Inova Fairfax Hospital (#5)
* Capital One Bank (#6)
* Science Applications International (SAIC) (#7)
* Booz Allen Hamilton (#8)
* 7-Eleven (#10)
Of the Fortune 500 Companies based in Virginia, 14 of 19 offer such workplace protections:
* MCI Group, Ashburn, VA (#90)
* Dominion Resources, Inc., Richmond, VA (#151)
* Nextel Communications, Inc., Reston, VA (#157)
* Capital One Financial Corp., McLean, VA (#206)
* Smithfield Foods Inc., Smithfield, VA (#222)
* The AES Corporation, Arlington,VA (#226)
* Circuit City Stores, Inc., Richmond, VA (#231)
* CSX Corp., Richmond, VA (#269) [CSX is based in Jacksonville, FL according to their official website].
* Gannett Co., Inc., McLean, VA (#283)
* Norfolk Southern Corporation, Norfolk, VA (#286)
* US Airways Inc., Arlington, VA (#295)
* Performance Food Group, Richmond, VA (#328)
* SLM Corp. (Sallie Mae), Reston, VA (#378)
* Carmax, Glen Allen, VA (#422)
Additionally, Altria Group Inc. (# 17) has its Philip Morris Companies based in Virginia and also has a non-discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation.
The following Virginia elected officials have signed a pledge with Equality Virginia to prohibit discrimination in their own workplaces:
Current and Recent Statewide Officeholders
* Governor Mark R. Warner (D)
* Governor-elect Timothy M. Kaine (D), as Lieutenant Governor
* Former Attorney General Jerry W. Kilgore (R)
Local Government Officials
* Richmond Mayor L. Douglas Wilder, Jr. (D)
* Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly (D)
* Alexandria Mayor William D. “Bill” Euille (D)
Virginia Congressional Delegation
* Senator John Warner (R)
* Senator George Allen (R)
* Congressman Jim Moran (D)
* Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D)
* Congresswoman Thelma D. Drake (R)
Senate of Virginia
* Senator John H. Chichester 28 (R)
* Senator Charles J. Colgan 29 (D)
* Senator R. Creigh Deeds 25 (D)
* Senator Jeannemarie Devolites Davis 34 (R)
* Senator John S. Edwards 21 (D)
* Senator R. Edward Houck 17 (D)
* Senator Janet D. Howell 32 (D)
* Senator Benjamin J. Lambert, III 9 (D)
* Senator Mamie E. Locke 40 (D)
* Senator L. Louise Lucas 18 (D)
* Senator Henry L. Marsh, III 16 (D)
* Senator Stephen H. Martin 11 (R)
* Senator Yvonne B. Miller 5 (D)
* Senator Thomas K. Norment, Jr. 3 (R)
* Senator H. Russell Potts 27 (R)
* Senator Phillip P. Puckett 38 (D)
* Senator Toddy Puller 36 (D)
* Senator Wm. Roscoe Reynolds 20 (D)
* Senator Richard L. Saslaw 35 (D)
* Senator Kenneth W. Stolle 8 (R)
* Senator Patricia S. Ticer 30 (D)
* Senator Frank W. Wagner 7 (R)
* Senator John Watkins 10 (R)
* Senator Mary Margaret Whipple 31 (D)
Total: 24 (8 R 16 D)
Virginia House of Delegates
* Delegate David B. Albo 42 (R)
* Delegate Kenneth C. Alexander 89 (D)
* Delegate Kristen J. Amundson 44 (D)
* Delegate Ward L. Armstrong 10 (D)
* Delegate Mamye E. BaCote 95 (D)
* Delegate William K. Barlow 64 (D)
* Delegate Viola O. Baskerville 71 (D)
* Delegate Robert H. Brink 48 (D)
* Delegate L. Preston Bryant, Jr. 23 (R)
* Delegate Vincent F. Callahan, Jr. 34 (R)
* Delegate Charles W. Carrico, Sr. 5 (R)
* Delegate Rosalyn R. Dance 63 (D)
* Delegate James H. Dillard, II 41 (R)
* Delegate Adam P. Ebbin 49 (D)
* Delegate Albert C. Eisenberg 47 (D)
* Delegate Jeffrey M. Frederick 52 (R)
* Delegate H. Morgan Griffith 8 (R)
* Delegate Franklin P. Hall 69 (D)
* Delegate Phillip A. Hamilton 93 (R)
* Delegate Frank D. Hargrove, Sr. 55 (R)
* Delegate Algie T. Howell, Jr. 90 (D)
* Speaker William J. Howell 28 (R)
* Delegate Robert D. Hull 38 (D)
* Delegate Johnny S. Joannou 79 (D)
* Delegate Joseph P. Johnson, Jr. 4 (D)
* Delegate Dwight Clinton Jones 70 (D)
* Delegate W.B. ‘Benny’ Keister 6 (D)
* Delegate R. Steve Landes 25 (R)
* Delegate Lynwood W. Lewis, Jr. 100 (D)
* Delegate Allen L. Louderback 15 (R)
* Delegate Daniel W. Marshall, III 14 (R)
* Delegate Michèle B. McQuigg 51 (R)
* Delegate Kenneth R. Melvin 80 (D)
* Delegate Floyd H. Miles, Sr. 74 (D)
* Delegate Paula J. Miller 87 (D)
* Delegate Brian J. Moran 46 (D)
* Delegate Harvey B. Morgan 98 (R)
* Delegate John M. O’Bannon, III 73 (R)
* Delegate Robert D. Orrock, Sr. 54 (R)
* Delegate Harry J. Parrish 50 (R)
* Delegate J. Chapman Petersen 37 (D)
* Delegate Kenneth R. Plum 36 (D)
* Delegate Albert C. Pollard, Jr. 99 (D)
* Delegate Harry R. Purkey 82 (R)
* Delegate Thomas Davis Rust 86 (R)
* Delegate Edward T. Scott 30 (R)
* Delegate James M. Scott 53 (D)
* Delegate Stephen C. Shannon 35 (D)
* Delegate James M. Shuler 12 (D)
* Delegate Mark D. Sickles 43 (D)
* Delegate Lionell Spruill, Sr. 77 (D)
* Delegate Terrie L. Suit 81 (R)
* Delegate Robert Tata 85 (R)
* Delegate Marian Van Landingham 45 (D)
* Delegate Mitch Van Yahres 57 (D)
* Delegate Jeion A. Ward 92 (D)
* Delegate Leo C. Wardrup, Jr. 83 (R)
* Delegate Onzlee Ware 11 (D)
* Delegate Vivian E. Watts 39 (D)
* Delegate Glenn M. Weatherholtz 26 (R)
Total: 60 (25 R, 35 D)