Mayor Parker has announced that legally married same- sex couples are now be eligible to receive the benefits of their spouse who works for the city.
Mayor Parker made her decision promptly after the U.S. Supreme Court rendered a ruling that legally married same- sex couples could access federal benefits, which left an umbrella for Houston to fall under.
“I’m sure there was a time where it was contemplated that same sex couples would be in legally based sanction relationships that could ever be recognized in a state or by the federal government but after a careful review we can determine that case law is such and with what’s happening around the country that we cannot continue to treat employees differently based on their sexual orientation if they are in fact legally married,” said Mayor Parker.
Due to the voter approved City Charter referendum in 2001 that said the city could not grant same sex benefits, the new policy will amend that amendment and provide benefits to legally married same- sex couples whose marriages weren’t recognized in Texas.
“Based under the equal protection under the law it is unconstitutional for the city to continue to deny benefits to the same sex spouses of our employees that are legally married. This is not the legal thing to do it is the right thing to do,” said Mayor Parker.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced in August that all legally same sexed couples will be recognized as married for tax purposes even if they live in states that don’t recognize same sex marriage. This decision also was an incentive for the mayor to make her decision.
“The procedure is the same in filing for the benefits. You would bring in a copy of your marriage license and proof that you have been married in a place that recognizes your relationship,” said Mayor Parker. “This policy doesn’t extend this to domestic partners; we still have a prohibition against that in the city charter it applies only to legally married couples.”
Mayor Parker responded to the question of her own partnership and expressed that it wasn’t a personal decision as she and her partner of almost 24 years are not married.
Although the mayor may not be partaking in the benefits package, but city employee Noel Freeman, a Public Works Engineer, can’t wait to get his husband medical insurance.
Freeman was married for 3 years ago in Washington D.C. and is the only one in the family with insurance which is provided by the city.
“He hasn’t had insurance his entire adult life and it’s a struggle for us to try and find an affordable policy for us and for the first time in many years he will be able to have medical coverage,” said Freeman. “We’re married just like any other couple but we haven’t been able to receive the benefits. What this does is level the playing field.”
As a result of this policy change same sex spouses of city employees will be eligible for the same healthcare and life insurance benefits previously only offered to heterosexual married couple. This mandate goes into effect immediately.