Homosexuals continue to gain employment rights in both the
public and private sectors, a new report indcates.
More than 700 American employers added health insurance benefits
for the partners of their homosexual employees during the last year, reported
the countrys largest homosexual political organization, the Human Rights
Campaign.
Homosexuals continue to gain employment rights in both the
public and private sectors, a new report indcates.
More than 700 American employers added health insurance benefits
for the partners of their homosexual employees during the last year, reported
the countrys largest homosexual political organization, the Human Rights
Campaign.
In some cases, the policies also cover unmarried, heterosexual
partners.
The total reflects an increase of 20 percent from the previous
year. The 4,284 companies, colleges, and state and local governments that now
offer or have
announced they soon will offer health benefits to domestic partners amounts
to a 50 percent increase from 1999, the report said.
In addition, more than 290 employers extended their nondiscrimination
policies during the last year to cover “sexual orientation.” The increase
was 17 percent from the previous year. “Sexual orientation” is a category
that can encompass homosexuality, bisexuality and transsexuality.
The recent report covered the period from August 2000 to August
2001.
The survey found Fortune 500 companies are more likely to have
domestic partner or “sexual orientation” policies the higher they
rank on that list.
While 145 members (29 percent) of the Fortune 500 have domestic
partner benefits, 27 (54 percent) of the top 50 companies have such policies.
The number of Fortune 500 companies that have “sexual
orientation” in their nondiscrimination policies is 294 (59 percent). Among
the top 50 companies, 88 percent have such protections.
As expected, pro-family and Christian organizations bemoaned
the developments.
“Corporate America is acting recklessly in trying to appease
a pampered vocal pressure group, …” one observer said. “It is a
corporations way of being politically correct and appearing to be progressive.”
Yet another observer urged those who disagree with the trend
not to give up, since policies can be rescinded by companies. Indeed, when Exxon
merged with Mobil, it repealed the companys sexual orientation policy
and shut down its domestic partners program to new workers.
Opponents of such policies should use shareholder resolutions
to their advantage – and let companies know their views, the Christian
worker noted.
The recent report noted:
Eleven states, the District of Columbia and 122 cities
and counties prohibit discrimination against homosexuals in the public and private
workplace. Another 10 states and 106 local governments and agencies protect
only public employees on the basis of sexual orientation.
Eight states and 105 local governments or “quasi-government
agencies” provide health benefits to their employees domestic partners.
Two states, D.C. and 32 cities or counties provide protection
by law or executive order to transgender employees in the public and private
sectors. The report noted that the transgender term covers “cross-dressers,
intersexed people, transsexuals and people who live substantial portions of
their lives as other than their birth sex.”
Twenty companies protect transgender employees from
discrimination. These include five Fortune 500 firms – AMR (parent company
of American Airlines), Apple Computer, Lexmark International, Lucent Technologies
and Xerox Corp.
In April, San Francisco became the first city to include coverage for
sex-change procedures in employee benefits. (BP)