Grassroots Efforts at DL for ACS and FAs, no personal attacks.

[eolesen]

they don't have to get married... but if they want health insurance benefits, they have to be married.

If they're already in a recognized domestic partnership agreement, and the company is honoring that, why should they have to get married?

The airline I work for isn't forcing the issue. Maybe they will next year, but certainly not now and benefits enrollment is already closed.

 

[BABABOOY]

DL is sending letters to same sex domestic partners, that if they reside in a state that recognizes same sex marriages that if they dont get married by a certain date, their domestic partner will be removed from their health insurance.

and the problem is? 

 

[WorldTraveler]

If they're already in a recognized domestic partnership agreement, and the company is honoring that, why should they have to get married?

Because domestic partnerships are a substitute for a legal union where legal same sex unions are not permitted.

There is no reason for any company or the government to treat a domestic partner of either sex the same as a spouse if a legal union is possible.

 

[Kev3188]

and the problem is? 

 
If they're only just going out now, it's a big problem. Open Enrollment for you & I closes soon, and many other company's Open Enrollment windows are already over...
 
...And that doesn't even touch on the idea of a unilateral change with no warning...

 

[eolesen]

Because domestic partnerships are a substitute for a legal union where legal same sex unions are not permitted.

There is no reason for any company or the government to treat a domestic partner of either sex the same as a spouse if a legal union is possible.

Domestic partnerships *are* a legal union.

There are tens of thousands of heterosexual DP's just in NYC, including Michael Bloomberg. It helps high-income partners avoid the marriage penalty, and is also popular among older couples who will be life partners yet don't want to get married for one reason or another.

Thus, stating that it's just a substitute for a same-sex marriage is simply ignorant. But we're used to that from you.

 

If they're only just going out now, it's a big problem. Open Enrollment for you & I closes soon, and many other company's Open Enrollment windows are already over...
 
...And that doesn't even touch on the idea of a unilateral change with no warning...

Normally, you'd think that notice would have been given far enough out that people could have changed over to the other partner's insurance.

Being forced to get married smacks of arrogance, especially if you're opposed to marriage on religious grounds (i.e. an atheist who believes marriage is an extension of the Church, or a divorcee/widow(er) who ethically can only consider themselves having been married once).

700, how long do they have to get married?

 

[WorldTraveler]

and you can't get health insurance coverage from DL or most companies for heterosexual domestic partnerships.

if you want health insurance, get married.

homosexual domestic partnerships became available long before the concept of heterosexual domestic partnerships.

and would you like to give us a list of states that allow both?

and more importantly companies that honor domestic heterosexual partnerships for full benefits purposes.

If they're only just going out now, it's a big problem. Open Enrollment for you & I closes soon, and many other company's Open Enrollment windows are already over...
 
...And that doesn't even touch on the idea of a unilateral change with no warning...

except a change of martial/relationship/job status IS a reason for being allowed to enroll outside of open enrollment windows.... it happens all the time.

 

[eolesen]

Nice try. Do your own homework. They exist, both states and companies.

And as for the Life Event... for someone declining to get married, there isn't a life event by which to trigger an exception enrollment. It's a non-event, up until the point your insurance gets cancelled...

 

[BABABOOY]

If they're only just going out now, it's a big problem. Open Enrollment for you & I closes soon, and many other company's Open Enrollment windows are already over...
 
...And that doesn't even touch on the idea of a unilateral change with no warning...

Agreed, IF this is effective with the new year.

 

[WorldTraveler]

Nice try. Do your own homework. They exist, both states and companies.

And as for the Life Event... for someone declining to get married, there isn't a life event by which to trigger an exception enrollment. It's a non-event, up until the point your insurance gets cancelled...

I didn't say it doesn't exist.

I asked for you to list the states and companies where opposite sex companions can get full benefits equal to a spouse or a legally recognized domestic partner.

don't bother, E.

DL knows what they are doing and if other airlines haven't done it, they will.

if a legal union is possible, then it is not a company's responsibility to pass out benefits just because someone wants part of the deal but isn't willing to play by all of the rules.

 

[eolesen]

Again, for the legally illiterate, a domestic partnership *is* a legal union.

If it was the right thing to do by providing equal benefits for the past X years, why isn't it good enough now?

I have no doubt DL knows what they're doing: they're taking an action because there's nobody to stop them from making the change.

Hopefully ALPA stands in the way.

 

[700UW]

Currently at Delta...

Male/Female legally married. Insurance coverage, FREE travel granted.

Male/Male or Female/Female or male/female in domestic relationship as defined by Delta. Insurance coverage, IMPUTED travel granted.

NEW policy at Delta....

Male/Male or Female/Female or Male/Female in domestic relationship as defined by Delta, living in a state that recognizes marriage must submit marriage certificate to continue insurance coverage, FREE travel.

Failure to submit marriage certificate will have the partner dropped from insurance but remain on IMPUTED travel.
 

 

[WorldTraveler]

I have no doubt DL knows what they're doing

that's all.

 

[Kev3188]

And as for the Life Event... for someone declining to get married, there isn't a life event by which to trigger an exception enrollment. It's a non-event, up until the point your insurance gets cancelled...

Exactly.
 
 

Agreed, IF this is effective with the new year.

Right. Do you know if that's the case?
 
 

I have no doubt DL knows what they're doing: they're taking an action because there's nobody to stop them from making the change.

Hopefully ALPA stands in the way.

...Or PAFCA...

..Or maybe even GLAAD or one of the other equal rights groups DL makes a great show of supporting when it makes for good PR...

 

[topDawg]

Again, for the legally illiterate, a domestic partnership *is* a legal union.

If it was the right thing to do by providing equal benefits for the past X years, why isn't it good enough now?

I have no doubt DL knows what they're doing: they're taking an action because there's nobody to stop them from making the change.

Hopefully ALPA stands in the way.

 
 

Exactly.
 
 

Right. Do you know if that's the case?
 
 

...Or PAFCA...

..Or maybe even GLAAD or one of the other equal rights groups DL makes a great show of supporting when it makes for good PR...

If they do it'll probably be another one of those things that change just for the pilots (or dispatchers) and not everyone else.
 
 
it just doesn't effect enough people (and it doesn't help that a large number of Delta peeps are chilling in the bible belt) 

 

[eolesen]

If enough activists in Seattle, New York and Los Angeles know about it...

Nah, never mind. DL knows what it's doing. That's all that matters.