PayPal Punishes North Carolina for Transgender Bathroom Law
PayPal Holdings Inc said on Tuesday it canceled plans to open a global operations center in Charlotte, North Carolina after the state passed a controversial law targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) citizens.
Last month, North Carolina became the first state to enact a measure requiring people to use bathrooms or locker rooms in schools and other public facilities that match the gender on their birth certificate rather than their gender identity.
The law, which overturned a Charlotte city ordinance, was widely interpreted as an attack on LGBT rights. State lawmakers also voted to prohibit local governments from enacting anti-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
“The new law perpetuates discrimination and it violates the values and principles that are at the core of PayPal’s mission and culture,” Dan Schulman, Chief Executive Officer said in a statement.
Earlier in March the payment processor said it planned to open the operations center in Charlotte and employ 400 skilled workers there. It said it is now looking for another location for the center. {eoa}
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