PayPal Cancels Plan to Bring 400 New Jobs to North Carolina Because of State's Controversial New Law

RALEIGH, N.C. (TheBlaze/AP) -- PayPal says it's canceling plans to bring 400 jobs to North Carolina after lawmakers passed a law that restricts protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

The San Jose, California-based company said Tuesday it was canceling its planned expansion in Charlotte because of the law, which was signed March 23. Gov. Pat McCrory was on hand to celebrate days earlier when PayPal announced plans to hire about 400 people at a new operation center in Charlotte.

An exterior view of eBay/PayPal offices in San Jose, Calif., is seen, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011. (Photo: AP/Paul Sakuma)

"Two weeks ago, PayPal announced plans to open a new global operations center in Charlotte and employ over 400 people in skilled jobs," the company said in a statement Tuesday. "In the short time since then, legislation has been abruptly enacted by the State of North Carolina that invalidates protections of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens and denies these members of our community equal rights under the law."

"The new law perpetuates discrimination and it violates the values and principles that are at the core of PayPal’s mission and culture. As a result, PayPal will not move forward with our planned expansion into Charlotte," the statement added.

The PayPal announcement is the biggest tangible economic backlash to the state law that more than 100 corporate heads have decried as unfair. They say the law makes it more difficult to attract talent to North Carolina jobs.

Spokesmen for McCrory and legislative leaders did not immediately comment.

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