Gay Univ. of Florida employees gain health insurance for partners

[Thom Little]

The University of Florida's gay and lesbian employees will receive health insurance benefits for their domestic partners under a measure approved Friday by the school's Board of Trustees.

The vote was 12-1 making UF the state's only public university to approve such a policy, which also covers partners of unmarried straight couples. Married employees have long been able to insure their spouses.

UF President Bernie Machen said he thought the measure would be important for both recruiting and keeping faculty members.

"This is not just about the people who need this benefit. This is also about people who consider the benefit a statement of the climate of the campus where they are going to work," Machen said.


http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FL_DOMESTIC_PARTNERS_HEALTH_CARE_FLOL-?SITE=VARIT&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-12-02-14-41-20

[begin_within]

1. Oh, I thought you meant there was a "Gay University of Florida"

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. Just one?

.

[jsamuel]

3. UF does a very good job of trying to stay consistent with diversity rules

very proud of my AM

Plus it is right smack dab in the middle of the red part of the state.

SEE:
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/FL/P/00/index.html
The blue county in the northern middle part of the state. (Alachua)

[LostinVA]

4. Yay!

[Lefty48197]

5. Wow. Another assault on the sanctity of Christian Marriage

:sarcasm:

I'm surprised to hear that the dipsh*t Republicans in Florida haven't banned this practice yet. That's what they did in Michigan, although people are still fighting to maintain health benefits for partners.

[SW FL Dem]

6. Finally FL does something right! n/t

[Not Me]

7. The faculty council at UCF (Central FL) has been trying for years

to get the Orlando area UCF President to extend non-discrimination protection to glbt employees. John Hitt, President has dragged his feet for years on this. Perhaps now he might be persuaded to step into the 21st century.

[Che_Nuevara]

8. best news I've read all week n/t

[democrat in Tallahassee]

9. I'm sure the knuckledragging Fl legislature will take care of THAT

they'll be in town soon with their girlfriends and booze, oozing their sleezy morals out the capitol building