Companies offer more benefits to same-sex couples

Companies offer more benefits to same-sex couples - I spotted this article in The Wall Street Journal. It seems that more employers are offering benefits to same-sex partners.

It reminded me of the time I asked the management of my company (a year ago) to extend benefits to same-sex partners of it's employees. I was flat-out refused. Later, I was told that there had been discussion on if I was going to "cause trouble" because of it. The CFO told me that he told the president of the company that my intention was not to "cause trouble"; that it was just an honest question. I told the CFO that I was asking because I wanted to know if my company was going to simply be fair to it's gay employees. Now I know how I rate. That's all.

While President Bush pushes a constitutional ban on gay marriage, change in the workplace is going full speed toward allowing same-sex couples the same work-family benefits and supports as heterosexuals.

The amendment drive is accelerating workplace trends on several fronts. More employers are exploring offering domestic-partner benefits for gay couples, according to benefits consultant, Hewitt Associates. Angered by the amendment proposal, gay and lesbian workers are "coming out" to co-workers. And water-cooler talk about gay-marriage issues, both pro and con, has mounted to a dull roar.