Trachtenberg Supports Bill That Would Provide Equal Benefits to Same Sex Domestic Partners of Employees of County Contractors

I was proud to join Montgomery County District 4 Councilmember Nancy Navarro and other Council colleagues today to announce details of an “equal benefits” bill that Councilmember Navarro will be introducing before the Council that would extend to employees of many contractors and subcontractors performing work for the County the same benefits already granted to County employees. The bill will be officially introduced before the Council on Tuesday, November 3, 2009.

The County has a longstanding policy, in law and practice, against employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. Montgomery County already grants equal benefits to a same sex domestic partner of a County employee that are offered to an employee’s spouse, through Bill 29-99, effective March 3, 2000. Navarro’s bill would simply extend this law to many employees of County contractors and subcontractors.

Councilmember President Phil Andrews, Vice President Roger Berliner and Councilmembers Marc Elrich, Valerie Ervin, Nancy Floreen, George Leventhal and I are co-sponsors of the legislation. The equal benefits bill also has the support of County Executive Isiah Leggett.

The legislation would extend equal benefits to a same-sex domestic partner of a covered employee recognized under a marriage license, domestic partnership or civil union granted out of state or to a same-sex domestic partner as defined under Maryland law. The legislation would only cover employees who perform work for the County on a contract that is currently covered by either the County’s Wage Requirements Law or the recently enacted Prevailing Wage Law.

Benefits that may be extended under the legislation could include bereavement leave, family medical leave, sick leave, health benefits, dental benefits, disability insurance, life insurance and retirement benefits.