I'm a FA with US WEST....looking for the domestic partner benefits package for US EAST employees...my partner lost his job, had insurance and of course lost it when he lost his job and is now collecting unemployment...supposedly US WEST has health benefits for registered domestic partners....when I called benefits the other day to put my partner on my health plan, I was told if he is able to collect COBRA from his previous employer than he first has to exhaust those benefits...Well anyone who had health insurance from an employer by law is entitled to COBRA, which would cost my partner $533.00 a month!!!! and COBRA continues for 18months, so basically WEST is telling it's gay and lesbian employees we really are only giving you travel benefits(no cost to the company), but making it very hard for you to get health benefits(a cost to the company), and a side note, if you have a legal husband or wife and they lose their health insurance, they don't have to go on COBRA. I was told by benefits it's a IRS thing!....Checked AA domestic partner benefits and no where does it state that COBRA must be exhausted before your partner can get on the benefits, even give benefits to domestic partner dependents!...So if any US EAST employee could tell me what your health benefits are for domestic partners, do they fist have to go on COBRA, will be greatly helpful and maybe you could tell me a link so I can check it...all I'm asking for is equal benefits which US WEST is not giving to it's gay and lesbian employees and using the IRS as an excuse( I know we have to pay taxes on benefits, but that not the Company's fault). So anyone give me details on health benefits for domestic partners on the east side?
US EAST Domestic Partner Benefits
- Thread starter air747
- Start date
marco90821
Advanced
- Dec 31, 2002
- 223
- 0
As a former gay, I can tell you that East bennies are wonderful for DPs.
OK, at least here in CA. Your partner losing his job is a change in "life status" and they have to allow him on the benefits plan. Now I know that CA is a little more liberal than AZ, but I would think that if US-west offers DP benefits (and they do because I just signed my partner and I up) then him losing his job should let him onto the program. I would talk to someone else there....
I dont know the answer to your question but I hope that this is something that is maybe a state issue or maybe whoever you spoke with did not have the correct info. If what you are saying is true I hope the company will change its position. Although I am not gay, this company always seems to be very open and fair when dealing when different lifestyles. I have never seen any discrimination with regards to DPs and feel our industry is light years ahead of the rest of the country. Please post the final results. I think we all need to see where this company can improve or help change the policy. Mama
LCC_#1
Veteran
- Nov 16, 2005
- 1,771
- 0
First of all, that is the most ridiculous thing I have heard in a long time. You should be able to put your partner on your health benefits at any time. I can only hope you were given the wrong info. Perhaps it is time to take a trip to the Tempe HQ and find out in person.
US East has done a wonderful job with regards to DP benefits that also include heterosexuals. I would hope that would stay in place.
[
This link shows the hard work and is praised by the Human Rights Campaign.
http://www.hrc.org/Template.cfm?Section=Se...id=1&orgid=1713
A side note, West does NOT include a non-discrimination statement against GLT as a part of their policies.
US West HRC INFO
Contact your Spectrum rep via the link.
Let me know if the company doesn't help. Also, write HRC if you continue to get the run around because as it stands NOW on US West, someone could tell you the wrong info just because you're gay and the company wouldn't stand behind you if you complained.
In the current anti-gay, turn back the books, environment this current administration has created, nothing would surprise me BUT, this will NOT be tolerated and I know I will do EVERYTHING in my power to make sure you are treated fairly and that the non-discrimination policy includes gays, lesbians, and transgenders.
SIDENOTE......PLEASE READ EVERYONE...If the non-discrimination policy HAS changed OR if there is something in TINY BLACK AND WHITE print regards to COBRA having to be used first, someone please provide the link for us to see.
hp-csr-phx
Senior
AWA does have a policy against discrimination of Gay empoyees. The HRC link even states this correctly. It is transgendered that are not specifically mentioned.
Has a written non-discrimination policy covering sexual orientation in its employee handbook or manual Y
Has a written non-discrimination policy covering gender identity and/or expression in its employee handbook or manual N
Offers health insurance coverage to employees' domestic partners (2001) Y
Here is the AWA policy cut from the 2006 Employee Manual:
NON-DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE
It is America West’s policy to provide a work environment that is cooperative, safe, conducive to good job performance and free of all forms of unlawful discrimination. We strictly prohibit discrimination against an individual based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, age, veteran status, disabilities that do not preclude performance of essential job functions or other factors as prohibited by applicable law. All America West employees are responsible for ensuring that the workplace is free from such discrimination.
Types of conduct that will not be tolerated include:
• Epithets, derogatory comments, negative stereotyping or slurs
• Threatening, intimidating or offensive behavior that relates to the factors described above, and
• Derogatory posters, jokes, letters, e-mail or graffiti that denigrate or show hostility toward an individual or group on any of the bases described above
Has a written non-discrimination policy covering sexual orientation in its employee handbook or manual Y
Has a written non-discrimination policy covering gender identity and/or expression in its employee handbook or manual N
Offers health insurance coverage to employees' domestic partners (2001) Y
Here is the AWA policy cut from the 2006 Employee Manual:
NON-DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE
It is America West’s policy to provide a work environment that is cooperative, safe, conducive to good job performance and free of all forms of unlawful discrimination. We strictly prohibit discrimination against an individual based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, age, veteran status, disabilities that do not preclude performance of essential job functions or other factors as prohibited by applicable law. All America West employees are responsible for ensuring that the workplace is free from such discrimination.
Types of conduct that will not be tolerated include:
• Epithets, derogatory comments, negative stereotyping or slurs
• Threatening, intimidating or offensive behavior that relates to the factors described above, and
• Derogatory posters, jokes, letters, e-mail or graffiti that denigrate or show hostility toward an individual or group on any of the bases described above
- Thread Starter
- Thread starter
- #8
Thanks for the reply.....on the West side to register your partner they send you a packet and how to register your partner...under the Health Care Benefits section it states..."An employee4s's Committed Partner may participate in the Company's health care benefits plan(medical, dental and buy-up vision) as long as the Committted Partner is not eligible for such coverage through his or her own employer or pursuant to COBRA"....thats the catch, my partner lost his job and insurance and the company WEST claims he has to go on COBRA first....THAT TO ME IS NOT A BENEFIT...basically it's going to prevent alot of partners from being on the insurance plan....do you have a copy of the EAST plan so I can have some Info when I go back to the company?...
US1YFARE
Veteran
- Mar 31, 2004
- 3,932
- 54
That's interesting, and this is the absolute truth, an African American A F/A recently said to a customer that she was going to hire "some Mexicans" to clean for her because they are "cheap". She also said to this customer (very loudly I must add because the whole FC cabin overheard her) that most of US's FA's are so far out of the closet that someone needs to push them back in. What would the company do to her if she was reported?
LCC_#1
Veteran
- Nov 16, 2005
- 1,771
- 0
Thanks for the clarification and pointing out what I missed. I was having a hard time bringing the link over and was typing the entire loooooooong link. My eyes were bugged. My apologies. I just want to make sure we are all on the same page on this front.Here is the link for various policies including Domestic Partners for all interested.
benefits
You will need info to get into the Hub, so pm me and you can use my digits.
TheWatcher
Senior
- Aug 26, 2002
- 342
- 0
Well, i hope you and your partner are able to recieve those benefits. Perhaps someone has just given you the wrong information. Good luck to you.
Hawkhunter
Veteran
- Jul 11, 2005
- 577
- 521
PQAKnow-It-All
Advanced
I hate to say it, but I think you might be up the creek w/o a paddle...
and on a side note...this particular act of discrimination is NOT GLT oriented. It is oriented to all couples who are unmarried. I have been with my partner (hetrosexual) for over 5yrs. We choose to remain unmarried, but that is a legal choice, not a commitment choice. It has always driven me crazy that unmarried couples, of any sexual orientation, are discriminated against. When I first joined west, we did not have domestic partner benefits. I always was so mad that the only people on my pass privilages was me, and my parents, when you have married couples out there with themselves, parents, and 8 kids.. It's not like I'm asking to charter a plane for christsakes!!
/rant off.
Good luck. Hopefully you can get him a job soon so COBRA, or US benefits will be irrelivant (sp?).
and on a side note...this particular act of discrimination is NOT GLT oriented. It is oriented to all couples who are unmarried. I have been with my partner (hetrosexual) for over 5yrs. We choose to remain unmarried, but that is a legal choice, not a commitment choice. It has always driven me crazy that unmarried couples, of any sexual orientation, are discriminated against. When I first joined west, we did not have domestic partner benefits. I always was so mad that the only people on my pass privilages was me, and my parents, when you have married couples out there with themselves, parents, and 8 kids.. It's not like I'm asking to charter a plane for christsakes!!
/rant off.
Good luck. Hopefully you can get him a job soon so COBRA, or US benefits will be irrelivant (sp?).
Kev3188
Veteran
US1YFARE
Veteran
- Mar 31, 2004
- 3,932
- 54
So I've been told by a few people
