苹果公司首席执行官蒂姆•库克

    • 立场：为LGBT（指同性恋、双性恋和变性人）群体争取工作权益

    雇主因种族、肤色、性别、国籍、宗教、年龄或残疾而歧视员工属于违法行为。但美国多数州至今依然不保护LGBT群体的工作权益。苹果公司CEO蒂姆•库克希望消除这种差异。11月份，库克在《华尔街日报》（Wall Street Journal ）评论版对页发表了题为《平等就业对企业有益》（Workplace Equality Is Good for Business）的文章，敦促联邦立法，以免就业者因性取向而受到歧视。

    他在文章中写道：“促进公平和多样性的保护措施不应该把个人的性取向排除在外。有些人不得不在工作时隐瞒自己的这些特征，这种现象已经存在了太长的时间，而且已经影响了太多的人。”

    这篇文章发表后，美国参议院很快投票通过了《反就业歧视法》（Employment Non-Discrimination Act）。这样，在工作中歧视LGBT群体也有可能成为违法行为。这项法案即将提交众议院审议。

    Apple CEO Tim Cook

    • Stand: Apple CEO Tim Cook fought for workplace protection for the LGBT community

    It is already illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, nationality, religion, age, or disability. But a majority of states still don't provide protection to LGBT individuals in the workplace. Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) CEO Tim Cook wants to put an end to this discrepancy. In a November Wall Street Journal op-ed entitled "Workplace Equality Is Good for Business," Cook urged the passing of a federal law to protect workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation.

    "Protections that promote equality and diversity should not be conditional on someone's sexual orientation," he wrote. "For too long, too many people have had to hide that part of their identity in the workplace."

    Shortly after Cook's op-ed, the Senate voted to approve the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would make it illegal to discriminate against LGBT employees in the workplace. The legislation will now be sent to the House for consideration.