Sixt-Six Czech Companies Call on PM to Support Same Sex Marriage Bill

Sixty-six Czech companies have collectively signed an open letter, urging Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) to endorse a law that would enable “marriage for all.”

This law was presented by Vodafone CEO Petr Dvorak and representatives from various other firms and organizations. In the letter, they emphasize that the unequal conditions faced by LGBT+ citizens result in costs for employers and economic losses amounting to billions of euros.

Since July 2006, gay and lesbian couples have had the option to enter into registered partnerships in the Czech Republic. Discussions about legislation to equalize marriage rights began in 2016, with the most recent proposal being submitted to the Chamber of Deputies during the current electoral term.

Lawmakers are deliberating a counterproposal aimed at defining marriage in the constitution as a union exclusively between a man and a woman.

President Petr Pavel recently expressed in a speech to the Senate that the rights of a segment of society should not be restricted based on their sexual orientation. He further added that legalizing same-sex marriage should be seen not as a revolution but as a fair legal framework.

The signatories draw attention to the economic costs and losses resulting from inequality, referencing an analysis by the Open For Business research organization, which represents multinational consultancy firms. According to this analysis, the Czech economy loses up to CZK 37.6 billion annually due to inequality.

“From a business perspective, therefore, marriage for all couples is clearly advantageous not only for our companies but also for the future of the Czech economy,” the appeal asserts.

The companies highlight that they treat all their employees equally, incurring the additional expenses of double administration and addressing inequalities caused by existing laws.

They note that LGBT+ employees do not have access to the same state benefits as others, such as parental leave and time off for registered partnerships. Currently, under the law, registered partners do not share joint property and are not entitled to a widow’s or widower’s pension in the event of their partner’s passing. Furthermore, their children may not receive orphan’s pensions.

Despite the law not permitting registered same-sex couples to adopt children, numerous “rainbow” families with children already exist in the Czech Republic. However, legally, the children of same-sex parents can only have one legally recognized parent.