Cable and telco operators, satellite companies, TV networks and programmers have come out in force at the Supreme Court in support of marriage equality.
Cablevision, Comcast, Cox, Verizon, AT&T, CBS, DirecTV, Google, Twitter and other communications companies were among the 379 organizations joining in an amicus brief in the high court review of Obergefell v. Hodges, in which the court has the chance to rule that all states should both permit and recognize same-sex marriages as legal.
"More than seventy percent of Americans live in a state that celebrates and recognizes same-sex marriages. But many states continue to prohibit same-sex couples from marrying, and decline to recognize the valid, existing marriages of citizens married to a spouse of the same sex. This fractured legal landscape harms employers and employees alike."
The companies argue that marriage bans adversely impact their ability to "attract and retain a talented workforce" and given that some states recognize same sex marriages and others don't, such a bifurcated regime imposes "unnecessary costs and administrative complexities on employers, and requires differential employer treatment of employees who are similarly situated save for the state where they reside."
"Calling on the Supreme Court to finally make clear that all couples share the right to marry is consistent with our long-standing commitment to diversity and our support of the LGBT community," Verizon said in a blog signaling its support.
To check out a list of all the companies signing on to the brief, click here.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral argument in the case April 28. The two questions at issue, according to the indispensable scotusblog.com, are whether a state has to license marriages between two people of the same sex and whether a state has to recognize such marriages performed by other states.
