Monday, November 26, 2007

FL College Approves Medical Plan For Employee’s Pets, Denies Benefits For Domestic Partners

Via The Palm Beach Post:

The pets of Palm Beach Community College employees will qualify for discounted group medical insurance beginning in January, but domestic partners are still barred from receiving similar benefits.

School officials sent a memo last week explaining the new voluntary pet benefit available via payroll deduction through the private company Veterinary Pet Insurance.

Rand Hoch, president of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, said it is wrong for the college to put the medical needs of pets above those of the human loved ones of employees.

“The fact of the matter is puppies are covered, partners are not,” said Hoch, who sent a letter to PBCC President Dennis Gallon requesting the domestic partner plan be put before trustees again in January. “It’s the same benefit; neither costs the college a penny.” Read on…

If we had universal health care in America, this sort of discrimination would be a thing of the past — it would also destroy one of the right’s favorite talking points against gay marriage.

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