In the court fight over North Carolina's controversial law concerning LGBT people, nearly 70 companies are weighing in on the side of the U.S. Justice Department. A federal judge granted their motion Tuesday to file a friend-of-the-court brief.
The U.S. Justice Department is suing North Carolina over House Bill 2. It excludes LGBT people from state protections against discrimination and requires transgender people to use the bathroom corresponding to their birth certificate in government buildings.
American Airlines, Apple, General Electric, Nike and 64 other companies are filing a brief in support of the Justice Department.
The law does not prevent them from having their own LGBT protections. But in some cases, they say it's "already damaging their ability to recruit and retain a diverse workforce and is imposing a substantial disincentive to investment and commerce in the state, directly impacting their bottom line.”
Governor Pat McCrory's office responded in a statement, calling it disappointing that some companies are joining the Obama Administration’s position that jeopardizes long-held expectations of privacy.
Copyright 2016 WFAE
