Date: Tue, 22 Aug 1995 13:11:04 -0500 From: Virginians For Justice Subject: VJ Press Release August 22, 1995 For Immediate Release for further information contact: Virginians for Justice - Shirley Lesser (804)-643-4816 va4justice@aol.com VIRGINIA BEACH PROTECTS GAY AND LESBIAN EMPLOYEES FROM JOB DISCRIMINATION Virginia Beach, VA - - Virginians for Justice has learned that the City of Virginia Beach has added protection from employment discrimination based on sexual orientation for its employees. As enacted in April 1995, the new protections apply to more than 5,200 city employees. According to Police Lt. Wray Boswell, chair of Virginia Beach's Equal Employment Opportunity Employee Advisory Committee, the purpose of the new policy is twofold; to provide a measure of basic civil rights for gay and lesbian employees; and to increase the city's attractiveness to quality employees, regardless of their sexual orientation. In adding protection from job discrimination for its lesbian and gay employees, Virginia Beach joins Alexandria, Arlington County, Charlottesville, virtually every university, and a multitude of private employers throughout Virginia. Among the corporations with large Virginia operations that already include sexual orientation protections for their employees are IBM, which recently announced plans to bring thousands of jobs to the Manassas area; First Virginia Bank; Gannett; MCI; Mobil Oil; Sears, Roebuck and Co.; Unisys Corp.; General Electric; AT&T, Xerox; Science Applications International Corp.; and TRW. Patrick Heck, Legislative Coordinator for Virginians for Justice, commented, "We applaud Virginia Beach for joining the ranks of localities and corporations that are poised for economic competition in the twenty-first century. It is ironic, to say the least, that most of the corporations fit the high technology profile that Governor Allen, who makes no secret of his anti-gay agenda, is busy wooing to the Commonwealth." "If equal treatment under the law does not appeal to the Governor's sensibilities, perhaps the economic wisdom of making Virginia attractive to qualified workers, regardless of their sexual orientation, will refocus Governor Allen's attention from his apparent preoccupation with the private lives of Virginians. If Virginia wants to be remain a player in today's high tech economy, Attorney General Gilmore might also want to reconsider his malevolent decision to bar gays and lesbians from seeking protection from domestic violence under Virginia law," added Heck. # 30 #