Survey of U.S. employers show nearly half of the largest organizations extend health benefits to same-sex partners
Almost half of large companies in the U.S., and 20 per cent of small firms, offer health benefits to same-sex partners, according to a study by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.
More than 7,000 employers across the U.S. offer health benefits to same-sex partners, a huge leap from 1981 when no organizations offered such a benefit.
“There’s been a large increase in the number of employers that cover domestic partners,” Ilse de Veer, a principal with Mercer Human Resource Consulting, told the Seattle Times. “It has continued even as the labour markets have loosened.”
According to the Times article, the first organization to extend health benefits to same-sex partners in the U.S. was New York’s Village Voice newspaper in 1982. In 1992, Lotus Development became the first publicly traded company to follow suit.
“(Employers) want to be competitive in their industry to protect an image of progressiveness, to be consistent with their diversity policies and because employees ask for it,” said de Veer.
Firms offering same-sex benefits
Source: Mercer National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans, 2003
More than 7,000 employers across the U.S. offer health benefits to same-sex partners, a huge leap from 1981 when no organizations offered such a benefit.
“There’s been a large increase in the number of employers that cover domestic partners,” Ilse de Veer, a principal with Mercer Human Resource Consulting, told the Seattle Times. “It has continued even as the labour markets have loosened.”
According to the Times article, the first organization to extend health benefits to same-sex partners in the U.S. was New York’s Village Voice newspaper in 1982. In 1992, Lotus Development became the first publicly traded company to follow suit.
“(Employers) want to be competitive in their industry to protect an image of progressiveness, to be consistent with their diversity policies and because employees ask for it,” said de Veer.
Firms offering same-sex benefits
| Number of workers | % of firms offering same-sex benefits |
| 500 to 999 | 19 |
| 1,000 to 4,999 | 21 |
| 5,000 to 9,999 | 29 |
| 10,000 to 19, 999 | 34 |
| 20,000 + | 45 |
Source: Mercer National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans, 2003
