DOMESTIC PARTNERS HEALTH CARE BENEFITS

WHEREAS, many employees are presently covered by health insurance provided by their insurance carriers that do not include in the definition of dependents appropriate language that would extend the benefits and coverage to domestic partners; and

WHEREAS, in many instances, these domestic partners are thereby denied any coverage through no fault of their own as they or their partner have been unable to secure health benefits they should have been provided as dependents; and

WHEREAS, increasingly these benefits are being made available to educators and other employees in the public and private sector; and

WHEREAS, negotiating attempts to secure this coverage have been unsuccessful in many educational worksites; and

WHEREAS, the exclusion of domestic partners as eligible dependents by most health care providers is patently unfair:

RESOLVED, that the AFT, when requested, work cooperatively with its locals to help secure domestic partner dependent health benefits in their workplace; and

RESOLVED, that until such benefits are available to educators and staff in their workplace, the AFT will secure from its health insurance carriers a health insurance policy that includes domestic partners in the definition of dependents and make this plan available to its members as part of the AFT PLUS Program.