Update: Dow Corning Corp. joins the call for gender identity, sexual orientation protections under Michigan law

SAGINAW, MI — Business leaders across the Great Lakes Bay Region have announced their support for updates to Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity protections.

The Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance, Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce and Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce added their voices to the Michigan Competitive Workforce Coalition, which calls for the addition of sexual orientation and gender identity protections under Michigan law, according to a coalition news release.

"We want to support efforts to make Michigan the most business friendly state possible," Dave Dunn, chairman of the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance, said in a prepared statement. "The reality is that we are competing against neighboring states in the Midwest that give these equal protections. It's long overdue for Michigan to enact legislation to treat every employee in an equal and fair manner."

Related Poll: Would sexual orientation, gender identity protection make Michigan business more competitive?

The Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance is comprised of 48 board members who represent Bay, Isabella, Midland and Saginaw counties, including the Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce.

Its mission is "to encourage, support and celebrate regional collaboration and initiatives that will improve the economic vitality and quality of life in the Great Lakes Bay Region," the release states.

Under Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, it is illegal to subject people to differential treatment based on religion, race, color, national origin, sex, height, weight, familial status or marital status. And employers are prohibited from discriminating in hiring, compensation or the terms, conditions or privileges of employment.

Sexual orientation and gender identity are not included under the law.

"It's long past time for Michigan to add these important protections to its civil rights law," Jim Murray, coalition co-chairman and president of AT&T Michigan, said in a prepared statement.

His statement continued, "Many Michiganders aren't aware of the fact that it's not already there. But we need to be perfectly clear that our state's doors are open to the best and brightest — no matter what."

The Michigan Competitive Workforce Coalition's membership includes: The Dow Chemical Co., Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber, Arbor Brewing, AT&T, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Chrysler Group LLC, Clark Hill PLC, Consumers Energy, Delta Airlines, Detroit Regional Chamber, Google, Grand Rapids Area of Commerce, Herman Miller, Irwin Seating Co., Issue Media Group, Kellogg Co., Macomb County Chamber of Commerce, Menlo Innovations, The Michigan Theater, PADNOS, Pfizer, Professional Property Management, Quicken Loans, Slow's Bar BQ, Steelcase, Southwest Michigan First, Strategic Staffing Solutions, Whirlpool Corp. and Zingerman's.

Learn more about the coalition at www.michcwc.org.

— Heather Jordan covers business for MLive/The Saginaw News/The Bay City Times. She can be reached at 989-450-2652 or hjordan@mlive.com. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.