After persuasion from New Jersey's governor and attorney general, UPS Inc. will extend health insurance benefits to the civil union partners of gay employees in New Jersey covered by a union contract. The policy change has to do with New Jersey's civil-unions law, which took effect in February and seeks to give gay couples the same rights in the state as married couples.
Gov. Jon S. Corzine sent Atlanta-based UPS a letter July 20 asking United Parcel Service to change its stance. The letter was sent on behalf of a UPS driver and her partner.
The company had previously said civil-union partners were legally different from spouses and therefore were not entitled to the same benefits that spouses of the company's hourly workers receive. "We have received clear guidance that at least in New Jersey the state truly views civil-union partners as married," said Allen Hill, UPS's senior vice president for human resources. "We've heard that loud and clear from state officials, and we're happy to make this change."
The company has about 8,700 union-represented workers in New Jersey, but UPS officials say they do not know how many are in civil unions.
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