Pacifi-Corp, parent company of Utah Power, is quietly extending health benefits to the partners of gay and lesbian employees.
The change, effective Jan. 1, will put same-sex domestic partners on the same footing as spouses when it comes to medical coverage, life insurance, bereavement leave and other health-related subsidies.Portland-based PacifiCorp has about 9,000 employees in seven Western states, about 6,700 of whom will be eligible for the extended benefits, company spokeswoman Nancy Varekamp said.
About 2,300 members of IBEW Local 57 in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming have their own benefits program. The PacifiCorp plan covers the remainder of employees, Vare-kamp said.
Based on the experience of other companies that have instituted similar programs, Varekamp said, PacifiCorp estimates 50 to 60 employees will qualify for the broadened benefits, adding less than 1 percent to the cost of its program.
To qualify, an employee and his or her partner must sign an affidavit declaring the existence of a "long-term, committed and exclusive relationship." The extension applies to same-sex partners only; it does not cover live-in heterosexual partners who are not married.
"We're simply acknowledging the diversity in our work force," Varekamp said. "We found it inequitable that same-sex partners were not eligible for a benefits program.
"Bottom line, it's a business decision" that will enable the company to compete for good employees, she said.
PacifiCorp unveiled the new coverage eligibility without fanfare.
The Yakima Herald-Republic obtained a copy of an internal memo dated Oct. 23 announcing the change. "The domestic partner issue will receive no special emphasis. This is just one of several miscellaneous changes being announced at the same time," the memo said.
Varekamp said enrollment materials will be distributed beginning Oct. 30.
At Pacific Power's office in Yakima, Wash., business manager Joe Kauzlarich said the change hasn't generated any controversy.