View Non-Discrimination Policy Resolution

City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr., on behalf of the New York City Pension Funds, has filed two shareholder resolutions asking Advance Auto Parts of Roanoke, VA, and the Computer Sciences Corporation of El Segundo , CA , to adopt policies that specifically bar discrimination based on sexual orientation.

The resolutions were filed on behalf of the New York City Employees' Retirement System, New York City Police Department Pension Fund, New York City Fire Department Pension Fund, New York City Teachers' Retirement System and New York City Board of Education Retirement System.

" America 's corporate leaders should set an example by adopting policies that prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation," Thompson said. "Most Fortune 500 companies - about 82 percent - already include sexual orientation in their non-discrimination policies, but many more still need to follow suit. These measures deliver a message that employees cannot be fired from their jobs simply because of who they are."

"Hiring and promoting employees based on qualifications and performance is the right thing for employees and for investors," said New York City Department of Finance Commissioner Martha E. Stark. "It is our hope that these companies and all of corporate America protect their employees and resolve all doubts about its commitment to equal employment opportunity."

"The New York City Pension Funds are rightly working to urge more companies to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation," said New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum. "Companies that follow fair labor and hiring practices are not only doing the right thing for their employees but also providing better long-term investments for their shareholders. Once again, the Pension Funds are leading the way in shareholder activism and ensuring that members get the best possible return on their money."

Advance Auto Parts ranks 487th on the Fortune 500 list, while the Computer Sciences Corporation ranks 142nd on the list. The Pension Funds have more than 400,000 shares worth about $16.56 million in Advance Auto Parts and more than 569,000 shares worth about $31.1 million in the Computer Sciences Corporation.

In recent weeks, the Comptroller and Funds withdrew similar resolutions after General Dynamics of Falls Church , VA , and Paccar, Inc. of Bellevue , WA , agreed to amend their policies to provide such protections. Measures are still active with the Baldor Electric Company of Fort Smith, AK, Robert Half International, Inc. of Menlo Park , CA , and ExxonMobil of Dallas, TX.

Besides Thompson, the trustees on the Pension Funds are:

New York City Fire Department Pension Fund: Mayor Michael Bloomberg; New York City Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta (Chair); New York City Finance Commissioner Martha E. Stark; Stephen Cassidy, President, James Slevin, Vice President, Robert Straub, Treasurer, and John Kelly, Brooklyn Representative and Chair, Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York; Peter Gorman, President and Captains' Rep., Nicholas J. Visconti, Chiefs' Rep., and Stephen J. Carbone, Lieutenants' Rep., Uniformed Fire Officers Association; and, Joseph Gagliardi, Marine Engineers Association.

New York City Police Pension Fund: Mayor Michael Bloomberg; New York City Finance Commissioner Martha E. Stark; New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly (Chair); Patrick Lynch, Patrolmen's Benevolent Association; Michael Palladino, Detectives Endowment Association; Edwin Mullins, Sergeants Benevolent Association; Anthony Garvey, Lieutenants Benevolent Association; and, John Driscoll, Captains Endowment Association.

New York City Employees' Retirement System: New York City Finance Commissioner Martha E. Stark (Chair); New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum; Borough Presidents Scott Stringer (Manhattan), Helen Marshall (Queens), Marty Markowitz (Brooklyn), Adolfo Carrion (Bronx), and James Molinaro (Staten Island); Lillian Roberts, Executive Director, District Council 37, AFSCME; Roger Toussaint, President Transport Workers Union Local 100; and, Carroll (Carl) Haynes, President, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237.

New York City Teachers' Retirement System: New York City Finance Commissioner Martha E. Stark (Chair); Deputy Chancellor Kathleen Grimm, New York City Department of Education; and, Sandra March, Melvyn Aaronson and Mona Romain, all of the United Federation of Teachers.

New York City Board of Education Retirement System: mayoral appointees Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, Alan Aviles, Philip Berry, David Chang, Tino Hernandez, Augusta Souza Kappner, Richard Menschel and Marita Regan; Borough President appointees Jesse Mojica (Bronx), Martine G. Guerrier (Brooklyn), Vivian Farmery (Manhattan), Michael Flowers (Queens), and Joan Correale (Staten Island); and employee members Thomas J. Malanga of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 891 , and Milagros Rodriguez of District Council 37, Local 372.

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