June 17, 2007

Ushering an era of fairness and equality into his office, Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias announced today that office employees involved in domestic partnerships are now eligible to receive the same health benefits as married employees and their dependents.

Giannoulias’ action, which now allows same-sex domestic partners of all Treasurer’s Office employees to receive medical, dental and vision benefits, follows the lead of other public and private sector employers.

The Treasurer’s Office had been the only constitutional office not to give health benefits to same-sex partners of state workers since the Governor extended the benefits in May 2006. Prior to taking office in January, Giannoulias pledged to fix the inequity. He made the option available last month, during the first health insurance enrollment period under his administration.

“For me, this issue is about fairness,” Giannoulias said during a press conference at the newly opened Center on Halsted on Chicago’s North Side. “All employees, regardless of race, gender and sexual orientation, should have the same access to healthcare. Extending this basic right will allow the office to move forward in a positive direction and recruit and retain the best employees.”

Following his announcement, Giannoulias hosted a public reception at the Center’s Richard M. Daley Rooftop Garden in celebration of Gay Pride Month.

Sharon Garchitorena, a financial education coordinator at the Treasurer’s Office, is accessing health benefits for Tina Struzik, her partner of nine years. The couple owns a home together, shares life insurance and has two adult sons.

“I’ve wanted her on my health insurance forever,” Garchitorena said. “We had all the components of a married couple without the benefits.”

Health benefits are available to same-sex individuals who are in committed relationships, have lived together for at least a year and share financial responsibilities.

“Our community’s struggle for full equality in Illinois gains new ground today with this announcement,” said Alderman Tom Tunney (D-44th), Chicago’s first openly gay alderman. “I am proud that Treasurer Giannoulias has made his office a place of acceptance and tolerance for all his staff.”

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Deb Shore expressed her support for domestic partnership benefits.

“This announcement is long overdue and will introduce a new era of open-mindedness and acceptance in the Treasurer’s Office,” Shore said.

The extension of domestic partnership benefits is a step in the right direction, said Rick Garcia, political director for Equality Illinois.

“The GLBT community does not have equal protection and treatment in many areas of their lives,” Garcia said. “I commend the Treasurer for doing what he can in his office to promote the rights of same-sex couples.”

More than half of Fortune 500 companies, collectively covering 15 million people, offer domestic partner benefits, as do 13 state governments and 145 city and county governments, according the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

“In addition to doing the right thing, providing these benefits to office employees makes good business sense in a competitive marketplace,” Giannoulias said. “Almost 9,000 private sector companies have already realized that offering these benefits enables them to attract top-notch employees and keep them on the payroll.

John Cepek, national president of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), voiced his support for Giannoulias’ announcement.

"I salute Treasurer Giannoulias for moving equality forward for gay and lesbian citizens in Illinois,” Cepek said. “My gay son deserves the same rights as his straight brother, and domestic partner benefits are a step in the right direction.”

The extension of domestic partnership benefits is an important step in the march for gay and lesbian rights, said community activist Deb Mell.

"We are making great strides to give all citizens of Illinois equal rights,” Mell said. “I applaud Treasurer Giannoulias and all the other constitutional officers for offering domestic partner benefits to their employees."