Rowe Furniture Opposes HB2

April 11, 2016  by in Industry, Legal   

The company’s statement reads, in full, as follows.

“Rowe Furniture stands opposed to the HB2 Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act that was passed by a special session of the N.C. state legislature and signed into law by Governor Pat McCrory. We denounce legislation that enables, condones or encourages discrimination against any class of individuals with respect to hiring and workplace bias, minimum wage standards or public accommodation. 

In response to this legislation, Phil Haney, Rowe Furniture's Chief Executive Officer forwarded a letter to Governor McCrory articulating the Company’s position that HB2 is misguided and should be repealed. The letter states that Rowe Furniture has a consistent and longstanding policy of workplace and customer inclusion, and that HB2 runs counter to the core principles of equality upon which our Company, North Carolina and our Country have been built. 

The home furnishings industry has always embraced diversity, self-expression and individual respect. It is the Company’s hope that those who join Rowe Furniture in their opposition to this legislation do so by petitioning Governor McCrory and those at the state and federal level with the authority to affect it’s repeal. We believe that attending High Point Market demonstrates support for the industry and not support for discriminatory legislation that stands contrary to the commitment that we have demonstrated to our employees and customers for over 70 years.

We look forward to welcoming an amazing and diverse group of industry partners to High Point Market on April 15th while continuing to work towards the repeal of HB2."