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Janesville City Council OKs health benefits for domestic partners |
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Written by Dan Plutchak
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Thursday, 15 November 2012 16:53 |
JANESVILLE — Should the city of Janesville extend health plan benefits to the domestic partners of city employees? A majority of city council members think so.
The council on Monday approved a resolution proposed by council members Sam Liebert and Russ Steeber that extends the benefit to city employees and qualifying library employees.
The proposal comes on the heels of the council’s recent approval of funeral leave for domestic partners.
“I think it makes natural sense to move in this direction for the city,” Liebert said. “Mainly, it’s about extending health care coverage to people who already share everything else.”
Steeber said he took several phone calls over the past week from people who saw it as a moral issue. However, Steeber said he saw it as a fairness issue.
“It’s recognized as a legal status,” Steeber said, “and by not doing it, we’re treating certain employees differently.”
There’s no way of knowing, at this point, how many employees would take advantage of the benefit, said Human Resources Director Susan Musick.
The cost would be about $10,000 per employee to move from single coverage to family coverage, and the benefit would apply to either same sex domestic partners or opposite sex domestic partners.
Steeber acknowledged that there was a degree of uncertainty, not knowing the exact budget impact, but he said it was similar to what the city faces currently when employees get married and switch from single to family coverage.
Among the requirements are that the couple has been engaged in a committed relationship with each other for more than 12 months immediately prior to the date of application of coverage.
They also must be in a mutually exclusive relationship and share responsibility for each other’s common welfare, financial obligations and basic living expenses.
“I don’t see the difference between a married couple or a domestic partnership,” Steeber said. “They have just as many rights, legally.”
Council member Jim Farrell said many of the top companies of the state are rated highly because they treat their employees well.
The city surveyed other cities in the state, and found that there are 23 governmental agencies that offer domestic partners health care benefits, according to Liebert.
Also in Wisconsin, more than 90 companies offer the same to their employees, including six of the top 10 largest companies in Wisconsin
The resolution passed 6-1, with council member Duwayne Severson voting no.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 15 November 2012 16:55 |
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