Here is the text to Monday's Domestic Partnership Resolution.
It's time that all of our City Employees have access to health care and funeral leave; and being able to share that benefit with their partner and children. Several cities have passed similar resolutions, and many major Wisconsin businesses support Domestic Partnership benefits to their employees.
• State of Wisconsin• City of Appleton• City of Madison• City of Milwaukee• Milwaukee County• De Pere School District• La Crosse County• Oshkosh School District• Marquette University• Alliant Precision FuzeCompany (Janesville)• MillerCoors• Kimberly-Clark• American Family
RESOLUTION NO. 2011-863
A RESOLUTION TO EXTEND HEALTH CARE AND RELATED PACKAGE BENEFITS TO ALL OTHERWISE QUALIFYING CITY AND LIBRARY DOMESTIC PARTNER EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES
WHEREAS the City and Library have a non-discrimination policy which states all persons are given equal consideration without regard to race, creed (religion), color, sex, national origin, handicap as defined in the Americans with Disability Act, ancestry, arrest or conviction record, marital status, membership in Military Reserve, sexual orientation, or age..."; and
WHEREAS the City and Library are committed to being a leader within the community with regard to diversity..."; and
WHEREAS, the City and Library are committed to equal treatment of all employee families and couples; an inequity currently exists concerning certain employee benefits for same gender and opposite gender employees that is contrary to a fundamental sense of human fairness; and
WHEREAS, employers compensate employees through more than just wages and salary by providing benefits such as health plan coverage, with the traditional benefits structure including an employee's opposite-sex spouse and children;
WHEREAS, extension of all benefits not currently required by law to be extended to same gender and opposite gender employees and their families would satisfy this fundamental fairness inequity and be in the best interest of and benefit to the City and the Library, its employees, taxpayers, and community; and
WHEREAS, such extension of benefits including, but not limited to, health care, prescription drug, dental, and vision care benefit packages and funeral leave to same gender and opposite gender domestic partners who otherwise would qualify (e.g. vesting requirements, hours per week, etc.) would increase the attractiveness of the City and the Library’s employment benefit package, thus, significantly facilitating successful employee recruitment and retention; and
WHEREAS, current societal standards as enunciated by the State of Wisconsin, Milwaukee County, the Cities of Madison, Milwaukee, Fitchburg, Appleton, other Wisconsin communities, many institutions of higher education, and private sector employers is to extend health care and related benefit packages to all qualifying same gender and opposite gender domestic partners and their families; and
WHEREAS, Wis. Stats. Sec. 40.02(21d) provides some by limited guidance as to the definition of “domestic partners” for Wisconsin Retirement System and certain State health insurance benefit purposes; and
WHEREAS, although it is difficult to estimate the number of City and Library employees who have domestic partners, a health plan cost impact range is estimated from 1% ($70,000) to 5% ($350,000) of health costs per year.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Janesville that this Council stands for the proposition that same gender and opposite gender domestic partners be allowed access to and provided all of the same health care, prescription drug, dental, vision care, and other benefits, rights, and privileges, which are extended to opposite gender spouse relationships to which the latter are currently and, from time to time, may be entitled, and as are allowed by the IRS, commencing January 1, 2013, to the extent allowed by law; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Council requests and directs that the City Administration:
(a) Study and consult with the City’s health care advisers and others to determine appropriate definitions, standards, and related administrative procedures and processes for such extension; and
(b) Extend health care, prescription drug, dental, and vision care to all qualifying opposite gender and same gender domestic partners of Administrative, General Municipal, and Library employees, and their children commencing January 1, 2013, to the extent allowed by law; and
(c) Negotiate as appropriate, the extension of health care, prescription drug, dental, and vision care to all qualifying opposite gender and same gender domestic partners of Union employees and their children during collective bargaining negotiations for 2013, to the extent allowed by law; and
(d) Extend the City’s funeral leave benefit to Administrative, General Municipal, and Library employees with qualifying opposite gender and same gender domestic partners, commencing January 2013; and
(e) Negotiate as appropriate, the extension of the applicable contractual funeral leave to Union employees with qualifying opposite gender and same gender domestic partners during collective bargaining negotiations for 2013, to the extent allowed by law.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Administration include the costs arising from such extension in the proposed budget for fiscal/calendar year 2013.
I'm writing today in support of the one person who has what it takes to truly represent Janesville in the state Assembly, Deb kolste.
