General Motors, Ford, and ChryslerDaimler announced in a joint statement that they are making health-care benefit coverage available for employees’ same-sex partners as of August 1, 2000.In their fall 1999 settlements, the United Autoworkers (UAW) and the “Big Three” automakers negotiated clauses stating their intent to examine “the economic, social and legal implications of adding same-sex domestic partners as dependents under the health plan”.
??>Who is covered?
Health, dental and vision care are covered, but pension benefits, bereavement leave, tuition assistance, child and eldercare, scholarship eligibility and vehicle discounts are not covered.
??>Landmark Announcement
For the Human Rights Campaign, the largest national lesbian and gay political organization in the United States, the announcement from the three largest employers in the United States signals that recognition of same–sex domestic partners is becoming a standard business practice.Other notable Fortune 500 companies that offer these benefits are IBM, Microsoft, Shell Oil, Walt Disney, Xerox, Time Warner and United and American Airlines.
??>Cost
GM representative Tom Wickham puts the benefit in perspective when he says the cost would be no more than coverage for spouses.Ed Miller, speaking for Ford, said that they have benchmarked other companies such as IBM Corp. and American Airlines and found that less than one percent of employees apply for the benefit.