FAIR WISCONSIN STATEMENT ON JANESVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING

FAIR WISCONSIN STATEMENT ON JANESVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING

Council grants new protections to employees, moves city forward

Tonight, members of the Janesville City Council approved a measure granting funeral leave for the same- and opposite-sex partners of city employees, but deferred a vote on extending healthcare coverage to the same employees.  Fair Wisconsin Executive Director Katie Belanger issued the following statement in response:

"This decision marks a small but important step toward fairness.  Janesville’s vision for creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace helps make them a leader in our efforts to build a more fair and just state for all Wisconsinites, and we commend Alder Sam Liebert for his leadership in bringing this issue forward.

“While the postponement of domestic partner healthcare coverage is disappointing, we are pleased with the Council’s firm commitment to include this proposal as part of their budget deliberations and we look forward to working with Council leadership to make that commitment a reality.  Providing domestic partner benefits and creating a more inclusive workplace is a critical step toward building a stronger, more diverse workforce that will lead Janesville and Wisconsin in the years ahead.”

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Fair Wisconsin, one of the state’s most respected advocacy groups, has a proud history in education, grassroots organizing, outreach, and political action in the cause of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality. With a statewide board of directors and a full-time staff, Fair Wisconsin is the only organization to represent the Badger state in the Equality Federation, the national alliance of state-based LGBT advocacy organizations.  To learn more, visitwww.fairwisconsin.com.