OHIO Gay marriage ban concerns businesses

One company says the ban could hurt their ability to recruit and retain workers.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- Some Ohio businesses are worried that one of the country's most-far reaching gay marriage bans could hurt their bottom line.
"There's some general concern about what it will mean from a competitiveness standpoint," Linda Woggon, vice president of governmental affairs for the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, said Thursday.
Companies want to know the impact of lawsuits that might use the ban to challenge domestic partner benefits offered by businesses, she said.
Gov. Bob Taft, a Republican, is expected to sign the bill after the House approves minor changes next week. The bill, passed 18-15 Wednesday by the GOP-controlled Ohio Senate, puts into law that same-sex marriages would be "against the strong public policy of the state."
The bill also prohibits state employees from getting marital benefits spelled out in state law for their unmarried partners, whether homosexual or heterosexual.
Worker retention
Dayton-based NCR Corp. told lawmakers the ban could hurt the company's ability to recruit and keep employees.
Ohio State University lobbyists tried unsuccessfully to persuade Republicans to exempt universities from the benefits' ban before Wednesday's vote.
Ohio State, with about 18,000 employees, offers limited benefits for domestic partners, such as access to child care services, but not medical or dental benefits.
Susan McManus, marketing director for Nationwide Insurance, twice testified that the ban could lead to lawsuits challenging the rights of private businesses to offer domestic partner benefits.
"Given how many companies have domestic partner benefits, to enact a law that would possibly put them at risk for legal challenges is very disturbing," McManus, 33, said in an interview Thursday. She emphasized she spoke as an individual and not on behalf on Nationwide.
Ted Adams, a lobbyist for Columbus-based Limited Brands Inc., called Sen. Steve Stivers on Wednesday morning with concerns about the bill's effect on hiring. Stivers, a Columbus Republican, broke party ranks to oppose the bill.
NCR Corp., Nationwide and Limited Brands all offer benefits to same-sex partners of company employees. The three businesses employ more than 28,000 people in Ohio and more than 145,000 nationally.
Benefits ban
Thirty-seven states have passed laws recognizing only marriages between men and women. Ohio is particularly restrictive because of the benefits ban, said Seth Kilbourn, national field director for the Human Rights Campaign.
Bill supporter Sen. Jim Jordan, an Urbana Republican, said Thursday he believes the ban won't affect business.
"It's private sector. They can do anything they want," Jordan said. "We're talking about the policy of the state and how it relates to the public sector."