PayPay cancels expansion in North Carolina over new law

PayPal announced it is cancelling plans to open a new operations center in North Carolina after the state passed a law that many see as restricting protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The news comes as leaders of the High Point Market, the largest furnishings industry trade show in the world, warned that “hundreds and perhaps thousands” of customers will not attend the Market, held in High Point, North Carolina in April, due to their opposition to the new law. The Market attracts retailers, designers, suppliers and manufacturers.



In a strongly worded statement, PayPal president and CEO Dan Schulman said that becoming an employer in North Carolina, “where members of our teams will not have equal rights under the law, is simply untenable.”



“This decision reflects PayPal’s deepest values and our strong belief that every person has the right to be treated equally, and with dignity and respect,” he stated. “These principles of fairness, inclusion and equality are at the heart of everything we seek to achieve and stand for as a company. And they compel us to take action to oppose discrimination.”



PayPal said it would seek an alternative location for the center, which was expected to employ over 400 people.



HIGH POINT: In a statement, the High Point Market Authority said it felt an obligation to inform the public and our government leaders in Raleigh of the significant economic damage that HB2 (the new law) is having on the High Point Market and on the North Carolina economy,”



“Based on the reaction in just the last few days, hundreds and perhaps thousands of our customers will not attend Market this April,” the Market Authority stated.



Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, 27-year-old, North Carolina-based lifestyle home furnishings brand with more than 30 stores nationwide and an e-commerce site, is among those who have announced they will not attend the April show. In a posting on its Facebook page, the company said it could not be more disappointed by its own state’s discriminatory legislation.



“Passing this bill hurts business in many ways, including hiring/recruiting and maintaining a quality workforce, as it makes potential employees less likely to want to move to the state or continue to live in a state that encourages discrimination,” the company stated.



To date, more than 100 other companies have asked North Carolina to repeal the law. For more on the law, click here.