Mecklenburg County to Offer Domestic Partner Benefits to Employees
12/16/2009 - Last night Mecklenburg County Commissioners voted 6-3 to begin offering equal benefits to same-sex domestic partners of county employees. Equality NC applauds the decision and the hard work of local advocates to secure this important victory.
Mecklenburg County Commissioners Chairman Jennifer Roberts was a strong advocate for the domestic partner policy
"Everyone deserves equal compensation for equal work," said Ian Palmquist, Executive Director. "Mecklenburg County is doing the right thing by following the lead of major employers like Wachovia and Bank of America and ensuring that all their workers get the same benefits, regardless of sexual orientation."
Equality NC recgonizes the many months and years of advocacy and electoral work conducted by MeckPAC, an outstanding local organization, to make this victory possible.
Palmquist noted that federal laws unfairly tax health insurance coverage for same-sex partners as income, forcing lesbian, gay and bisexual employees to pay more than married oppossite couples to access this benefit.
Mecklenburg County joines several other local governments in offering these benefits, including the cities of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, and Greensboro, and Durham and Orange Counties.
For more, check out the coverage at Q-Notes.
