CITY OF SPRINGFIELD WILL PROVIDE HEALTH BENEFITS TO EMPLOYEES IN CIVIL UNION RELATIONSHIPS

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Ernie Slottag 789-2235

Mayor J. Michael Houston today lauded the City’s Joint Labor/Management Healthcare Committee for voting unanimously to include employees who are in civil union relationships in being eligible for the same benefits that married employees enjoy.

“We had asked our actuary to reexamine the figures he had used to determine his first estimate of the cost to the city for insuring employees in civil union relationships,” Mayor Houston said. “The original projection of $725,000 annually seemed extremely high, especially when it was tied to an estimate that 65 individuals who work for the city would seek the coverage.”

“We found that other cities in Illinois have only signed up one or two people under this designation, so it was only reasonable to assume that the number 65 was too high. Upon his reexamination of the facts, the actuary came back with a figure of less than $67,000. Once the new information was presented to the committee, a new vote was taken and approval was given by every member of the committee.”

The City will begin coverage of civil union partners at the start of the new fiscal year, which is March 1, 2012. There will not be an increase in premiums because of today’s decision.