Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-02-22
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  TODAY'S BUZZ

Domestic Partnership benefits bill introduced
From a White House news release, posted Nov. 18, 2011
2011-11-18

This article shared 4594 times since Fri Nov 18, 2011
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email


Congresswomen Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) today introduced the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2011. The bill would put the federal government on par with a majority of Fortune 500 companies by extending employee benefit programs to cover the domestic partners of federal employees to the same extent as those benefits cover spouses of federal employees. Similar legislation in the Senate was introduced today by Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME).

"The federal government must set an example as an equal opportunity employer," said Congresswoman Baldwin. "If we are to treat all federal employees fairly and recruit the best and the brightest to serve in government, we need this legislation," she said.

"I am pleased to co-sponsor this legislation because we are a nation that prides itself on treating everyone as equals and this bill assures that we bring those same ideals to the regulations that guide federal benefits for domestic partners of federal employees," said Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen. "We have taken steps to gain equal rights for all but much remains to be done. Passage of this legislation will be one step in the right direction. I am pleased that the Senate has also introduced a similar bill," she said.

Nearly 60 percent of Fortune 500 companies now offer health benefits to employees' domestic partners, up from just 25 percent in 2000. More than 8,000 private-sector companies make such benefits available to employees' domestic partners, as do the governments of 18 states and at least 150 cities and towns from Juneau, Alaska to Atlanta, Georgia, and from Portland, Maine to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Under the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2011, a federal employee and same-sex domestic partner, who are not related by blood and are living together in a committed intimate relationship, would be eligible to participate in federal retirement, life insurance, health, workers' compensation, and Family and Medical Leave benefits to the same extent as married employees and their spouses. Such employees and their domestic partners would likewise assume the same obligations as those that apply to married employees and their spouses, such as anti-nepotism rules and financial disclosure requirements.

A broad coalition of organizations and federal employee groups supports this legislation: 9to5, Natl Assn of Working Women, A Better Balance: The Work & Family Legal Center, Center for American Progress Action Fund, Family Equality Council, Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies (GLIFAA), Human Rights Campaign, Immigration Equality Action Fund, The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), AFL-CIO, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, Log Cabin Republicans, National Coalition for LGBT Health, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund, National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), and People for the American Way.


This article shared 4594 times since Fri Nov 18, 2011
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

NATIONAL Google Doodle, drag laureate, Nebraska bill, NYC AIDS Walk
2023-05-26
D.C. poet/activist/journalist Ivy Young passed away at age 75, per a press release. Among other things, Young worked at Chicago's VISTA; the Center for Black Education and Drum and Spear Book Store in D.C.; the ...


Gay News

Illinois Healthcare Cultural Competency Coalition applauds passage of HB 2450
2023-05-25
--From a press release - The Illinois Healthcare Cultural Competency Coalition applauds passage by the Illinois General Assembly of legislation that will ensure cultural competency is part of continuing medical education for a range of healthcare providers in Illinois. "We are ...


Gay News

Board of Commissioners unanimously passes Bodily Autonomy Ordinance Amendment with support of Equality Illinois, ACLU Illinois
2023-05-25
--From a press release - Chicago, Ill. — May 25th 2023 — Today, the Cook County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed an amendment to the Human Rights Ordinance ensuring the protection of all individual's right to their own bodily autonomy. The ...


Gay News

Louisiana Senate committee kills anti-trans bill aimed at minors
2023-05-24
The Louisiana Senate Health & Welfare Committee has stopped an anti-trans bill aimed at minors, WBRZ News 2 in Baton Rouge has reported. Republican committee chairman Fred Mills joined Democrats on May 24 to kill Louisiana House Bill 648—a bill tha ...


Gay News

Louisiana Senate Health & Welfare Committee kills bans on gender affirming care, HRC responds
2023-05-24
--From a press release - Baton Rouge, Louisiana — Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, thanks members of the Louisiana Senate Health ...


Gay News

HRC condemns Ohio state senate for passing education censorship bill
2023-05-24
--From a press release - Columbus, Ohio — The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization — condemned the Ohio State Senate for passing ...


Gay News

Attorney general concludes Illinois Catholic clergy sex-abuse investigation
2023-05-24
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul released a comprehensive report detailing decades of child sex abuse by members of the Catholic clergy in the state. The report concludes a multi-year investigation into child sex abuse by members ...


Gay News

Sodomy laws repealed in Minnesota and Maryland
2023-05-23
Sodomy laws are no longer on the books in Minnesota and Maryland. According to The Los Angeles Blade, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed a public-safety bill into law on May 19 that repeals several anti-LGBTQ+ sections ...


Gay News

Lambda Legal marks 50 years with Bon Foster Civil Rights Celebration
2023-05-20
Lambda Legal marked its 50th anniversary with The Bon Foster Civil Rights Celebration May 19 at the Art Institute of Chicago. The event honored Windy City Times Owner and Co-Founder Tracy Baim. The celebration was named ...


Gay News

Advocates applaud Illinois General Assembly passage of House Bill 1286 for gender-neutral multiple-occupancy restrooms
2023-05-19
--From a press release - CHICAGO — Advocates celebrated passage by the Illinois General Assembly of House Bill 1286, legislation that will reduce barriers for businesses serving their communities and customers by allowing for the ...


Gay News

Gay lawyer appointed as Cook County judge
2023-05-19
On May 18, Justice Joy V. Cunningham and the Illinois Supreme Court announced the appointment of Edward J. Underhill as an at-large Cook County Circuit judge, according to a press release. Underhill was appointed to fill ...


Gay News

HB 1286 would allow gender-inclusive multi-occupancy restrooms, Chicago groups respond
2023-05-19
--From a press release - Statement from AIDS Foundation Chicago, Equality Illinois, and Pride Action Tank regarding HB 1286 to allow gender-inclusive multi-occupancy restrooms: We applaud the Illinois Senate for passing HB 1286 and urge the Illinois House to act expeditiously ...


Gay News

WORLD Spain, South Korea festival, Eurovision, marriage items, Sri Lanka
2023-05-19
Spain became the latest country to join a U.S. initiative that seeks to promote LGBTQI+ rights around the world, The Washington Blade reported. "Promoting and protecting the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and ...


Gay News

General Assembly moves closer to passing optional all-gender bathroom bill
2023-05-19
On May 18, the Illinois Senate passed an amended version of a bill that would allow businesses and public institutions to provide multi-occupant all-gender bathrooms if they so choose, The Daily Herald reported. House Bill 1286 ...


Gay News

Florida Gov. DeSantis signs four anti-LGBTQ bills into law; parents file for an Emergency Order to Block SB 254
2023-05-17
--From press releases - (Miami, Florida - May 17) Today, on International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law four anti-LGBTQ+ bills at a signing ceremony at a private Christian school. The bills signed ...


 


Copyright © 2023 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives. Single copies of back issues in print form are
available for $4 per issue, older than one month for $6 if available,
by check to the mailing address listed below.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.
All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transegender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS






Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.