Fort Worth City Council Approves Partner Benefits

September 24, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – Along with its approval of a budget for 2011, the Fort Worth City Council has approved domestic partner benefits for LGBT city employees.

The Dallas Voice reports that beginning October 4, LGBT city employees will be able to add their domestic partners to their insurance plan, with the costs of the added benefits coming out of the employees’ paycheck. The insurance will go into effect January 1.  

The new budget also calls on the city to increase its contribution to the pension fund by 4% and to offer new hires the option of designating a survivor, which can include a domestic partner, to receive benefits, according to the news report.  

Adding domestic partner benefits for LGBT employees was one of several recommendations by a Diversity Task Force that was formed last summer.  Its recommendation to add gender identity to the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance was implemented last fall.  

The council chose to delay implementation of partner benefits and adding insurance coverage for gender reassignment surgery pending further study to determine the cost to the city. Thomas Anable, president of Fairness Fort Worth, said once it was determined that adding partner benefits wouldn’t cost the city, partner benefits were “a done deal.”

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