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Michigan mulls update to gay discrimination law

By WTOP Staff

DAVID EGGERT
Associated Press

MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Rick Snyder on Thursday urged legislators to consider updating Michigan’s civil rights law to prohibit discrimination because of sexual orientation or gender identity, applauding companies and the state’s two largest regional chambers of commerce for joining a business-backed push to amend the law.

“I don’t believe in discrimination,” the Republican governor told reporters at the Mackinac Policy Conference, the Detroit Regional Chamber’s annual meeting for more than 1,500 business, political and civil leaders. “It’s a healthy thing for the Legislature to look to take it up as an issue sometime this year.”

He stopped short of specifically backing an update of the 1976 Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, but his request that the GOP-led Legislature debate legislation late this summer or in the fall was seen as a positive signal by advocates. Snyder’s comments — his strongest to date — came the same day that Chrysler, other companies, the Detroit Regional Chamber and the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce joined the Michigan Competitive Workforce Coalition, a group created this month to lobby to amend the law.

It is illegal to discriminate based on religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status or marital status in employment, housing or public places under Michigan law. Efforts to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list have stalled because of Republicans’ concerns about infringing on employers’ religious freedom.

“He wants to try to find that balance between protecting people from discrimination because of sexual orientation and yet protecting others’ religious beliefs,” said Ari Adler, spokesman for Republican House Speaker Jase Bolger of Marshall. “If we can find a way to do that, he’s ready to move on this. But we have to make sure that we are protecting everyone from discrimination regardless of what the reason may be.”

Twenty-one states have laws explicitly barring employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, according to the Human Rights Campaign, the largest U.S. lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights group.

Earlier this month, AT&T, Blue Cross Blue Shield and other companies launched the coalition to push for adding legal protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Those who signed on Thursday on Mackinac Island also include Kellogg, Pfizer and other businesses.

“It’s a business issue,” said Rick Baker, president and CEO of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. “We’ve had companies in our area express concern about their ability to attract and retain talent. We wanted to address their concerns … and create a climate where everyone feels welcome in Michigan.”

Brad Williams, vice president of government relations for the Detroit Regional Chamber, said it is time to address the law that people view as discriminatory.

“We know that the Legislature needs to hear from the business community to push this issue up to the top,” he said. “We plan on spending the summer talking to them a lot on the issue, and we’re hopeful that come fall we’ll be able to take it up and get the issue off the table.”

The comments from Snyder, who is seeking re-election later this year, were welcomed by the state’s leading gay rights group and Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer of East Lansing.

“I do not know if we have the business community, the election year or an honest ideological progression to thank, but I am glad to see that the governor is finally on board with offering basic civil rights protections to all Michigan citizens, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” Whitmer said.

The gay rights group Equality Michigan is pushing to amend the discrimination law in 2014 as a precursor to a planned 2016 ballot drive to overturn Michigan’s constitutional ban against same-sex marriage.

“We’re thrilled that the governor put a timeline on it,” Executive Director Emily Dievendorf said. “To us, that is making the amendment of Elliott-Larsen a priority.”

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Follow David Eggert on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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