Way To Go UPS!

TRENTON, N.J. -- United Parcel Service has denied health benefits to some same-sex couples in New Jersey, a decision gay rights advocates say starkly illustrates the limitations of the state’s civil unions legislation.

The company provides health benefits to its employees’ spouses, including married gay couples in Massachusetts. However, it said the Garden State’s decision to recognize same-sex relationships as civil unions, rather than marriages, has tied its hands.

In a letter to Gabriael “Nickie” Brazier, a driver for UPS, and her civil union partner, Heather Aurand, the company concluded that “New Jersey law does not treat civil unions the same as marriages.” It said if the state had done that, Aurand could have been included in the health coverage plan as a spouse....

However, benefit plans offered by many employers, including UPS, are governed by federal law, which recognizes only the union of a man and a woman as a marriage. Those companies are allowed, although not required, to deny benefits to partners in other relationships.

Another longtime UPS driver, Tom Walton of East Brunswick, said he was verbally rejected when he sought health coverage for his civil union partner, Mermon Davis. Walton, though, said he has not received a formal explanation for the decision.

“It’s upsetting,” Walton said. “We were told this law was going to give us the same benefits as everybody else, even though they weren’t calling it marriage. It just goes to show when something is separate, it’s never equal.” (source)

Well, we should expect to see this more and more. Many companies use the federal laws to guide (and conveniently exclude) them in who they will offer “marriage” benefits to. Does anyone honestly believe that civil unions are equal to marriages? And if you do, are you really being honest about that opinion?

Let’s be clear about one thing. UPS or any other company in this country could offer these benefits to same sex couples in a state civil union if they wanted to offer them. They simply don’t. I actually prefer UPS over FedEx, but after today, that’s going to change.

You can write to them at...

UPS Corporate Headquarters
55 Glenlake Parkway, NE
Atlanta , GA 30328
United States

They can also be called at 888-967-5877

Or send them an online message here.