Tuesday, August 13, 2002
Two-thirds of U.S. companies offering same-sex health benefits to its employees
A story released today by the Associated Press reports that more than two-thirds of U.S. major companies are now offering health benefits to same-sex domestic partners of their employees.
The Human Rights Campaign released its first survey of large corporations.
The group surveyed 319 companies, each of which employ at least 500 people. It found 92 percent of the companies had written statements barring discrimination because of sexual orientation, and 69 percent offered health insurance benefits for same-sex partners of employees.
The federal government, on the other hand, does not offer the same benefits to domestic partners that are given to spouses. Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minn., and Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., have introduced legislation to provide benefits to unmarried partners, either of the same sex or of opposite sexes.
"The truth is it's corporate America that has been the unlikely hero in the movement for equality for gay and lesbian Americans," said Elizabeth Birch, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign.
