Companies Should Be Free to Decide Gay Benefits

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- A majority of adults (61%) agree that a company should have the freedom to decide for itself the benefits it offers to its employees and their spouses or partners. People also feel that the benefits a company offers its employees are a critical determinant to where one works. Similar majorities of heterosexual adults (67%) and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) adults (71%) say they consider a company’s employee benefits to be an absolutely essential or very important factor when choosing to work for one company over another. Large majorities of GLBT adults (91%) and heterosexuals (79%) also say it is extremely important, very important or important that their employer offers equal health insurance benefits to all employees.

These are some of the results from the latest national Out & Equal Workplace survey, conducted online among 2,501 U.S. adults, of whom 270 self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender by Harris Interactive® in conjunction with Witeck-Combs Communications and Out & Equal. The survey has become an annual barometer of attitudes surrounding GLBT issues in the workplace and is the longest-running survey of its kind.

"Attracting and retaining the best employees possible is what differentiates the success of many companies today," said Out & Equal Executive Director Selisse Berry. "The impact of legislation seeking to thwart marriage equality may also make it illegal for companies to offer health benefits to their LGBT employees. We continue to applaud those companies that are advocating equal benefits and that are keeping in step with those trends."

In June, the U.S. Congress is set to vote on the Federal Marriage Amendment Act, an amendment to the Constitution that would ban same-sex marriage. In 2004, 11 states passed similar legislation that left many companies wondering whether they can still legally provide domestic-partner health benefits to their gay employees. Regarding the potential impact of this state legislation, majorities of heterosexual and GLBT adults say such legislation would have at least a moderate impact on companies, including their ability to:

- Recruit the most qualified employees
- Retain the most qualified employees; and
- Remain competitive with companies in other states that can offer equal benefits.

The survey also finds that to heterosexuals, diversity is an increasingly important factor in deciding where to work:

- 72 percent of heterosexual adults consider it extremely important, very important or important that a company have a written nondiscrimination policy that includes sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, sex, religion, age and disability, compared to 63 percent in 2002.
- 61 percent of heterosexual adults consider it extremely important, very important, or important that a company promote and professionally develop senior managers who come from diverse backgrounds, compared to 56 percent in 2002.

In addition, the survey highlights that substantially more GLBT adults are comfortable with "being out" at the workplace compared to four years ago when the survey was first conducted.

- 62 percent of GLBT adults say they are comfortable introducing a spouse, partner or significant other to a boss or management, compared to 41 percent in 2002.
- 50 percent of GLBT adults state they are comfortable having a photo of a spouse, partner or significant other on their desk or in the office, compared to 34 percent in 2002.

Berry said, "According to the Human Rights Campaign, more than half of Fortune 500 companies now offer domestic-partner benefits or have some kind of sexual orientation-protection clause in their EEO [equal employment opportunity] policy. Today, 75 percent of Fortune 100 companies have this—so the larger and more successful a company is, the more likely it is to offer such benefits. In our view, having domestic-partner benefits is one clear measure of the relevance, vitality and strength of an organization."

Being "out" in the workplace may be a more comfortable experience for gays due to the increased acceptance of their lesbian and gay peers by their heterosexual coworkers. The survey reveals:

- 89 percent of heterosexual adults agree that an employee should be judged based upon one’s job performance rather than one’s sexual orientation.
- 79 percent of heterosexual adults consider it extremely important, very important or important that a company offer equal health insurance benefits to all employees.
- 69 percent of heterosexual adults agree that, regardless of one’s sexual orientation, all employees are entitled to equal benefits on the job.
- 51 percent of heterosexual adults agree they would feel supportive of a coworker who came out to them as gay or lesbian; only 19 percent say they would feel uncomfortable.

However, despite this favorable opinion, about half (51%) of heterosexuals agree that GLBT people are actually treated fairly and equally in their workplace.

"The workplace continues to lead the way in achieving GLBT equality," affirms Out & Equal board member J. Kevin Jones Jr., a managing director at Citigroup. "We see that leadership in terms of clear public support for equal treatment in the workplace, as well as in measurable progress in corporate policies. Out & Equal—particularly through programs like the annual Summit—provides the arena for progressive companies to develop and share experiences that make workplace leadership on GLBT issues alive and effective."

Out & Equal Workplace Advocates released the survey Friday, May 19 at the kickoff reception for its annual Out & Equal Workplace Summit (scheduled for September 14 to 16 in Chicago).